Ryan White Title III HIV Capacity Development and Planning Grants - Project Title: FY 24 Part C Capacity Development – Dental Equipment Applicant Organization Name: St. John’s Community Health Address: 808 W. 58th Street, Los Angeles, CA 90037 Project Director: Michael Beral, DDS, Voice: 323.541.1600 Ext. 1010, Fax: 323.541.1601, mberal@sjch.org Website: www.sjch.org Grant Program Funds Requested: $150,000. St. John’s Community Health (SJCH) is a network of 22 federally qualified health centers. We have provided comprehensive HIV care and treatment for 16 years. We are respectfully requesting an award from the HIV/AIDS Bureau’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Part C Capacity Development Program in the amount of $150,000 for Dental Equipment for Expanding Dental Service Capacity under the Infrastructure Development category of the grant program. The proposed equipment and supplies to be purchased to equip 3 dental operatories at our San Bernardino Health Center will specifically improve the gap in rates of access to oral health services for Black and Latinx low-income PLWH who are current or future patients of St. John’s. This project will be located in the City of San Bernardino in a high-poverty neighborhood whose population is disproportionately underserved and un-/underinsured, and experiences significantly poorer health outcomes overall when compared statewide. One of the 48 geographic areas prioritized by the federal government for prevention and treatment efforts, San Bernardino County is home to 5,051 people living with HIV (PLWH). PLWH in San Bernardino remain critically underserved, despite efforts of St. John’s and other local providers, with only one agency currently providing integrated HIV clinical treatment and oral health care. They experience disproportionate rates of housing insecurity, mental health and substance misuse, and other socioeconomic and cultural barriers to care that impact their ability to stay in medical care, adhere to antiretroviral therapy, and participate in other critical services such as oral health care. Intensive medical care management addresses their health care, psychosocial, housing, and other needs; reduces barriers; and improves their retention in care and adherence to ART, which are critical to achieving viral load suppression. Participation in oral health care services is critical for PLWH, because of the prevalence of oral diseases that often indicate progression of HIV disease and how oral health problems impact patients’ ability to adhere to their HIV treatment regimen, therefore increasing risk of disease progression and undermining viral suppression. As part of the Inland Empire HIV Planning Council’s establishment of standards of care for oral health, a needs assessment was conducted where 80% of patients reported that they did not have a dentist they saw regularly and only 12% of RWHAP clients received oral health services in the past 12 months. The goal of the project is to establish oral health care services for PLWH in San Bernardino through the purchase, promotion, and utilization of new dental equipment. Objectives are to initiate culturally competent dental care for San Bernardino PLWH through purchase and installation of new equipment; provide dental care for a minimum of 30 PLWH prioritizing outreach to ensure underserved populations have access to services; and ensure 90% of dental HIV patients are satisfied with the care they receive. St. John’s patients are significantly representative of population groups severely impacted by HIV/AIDS, namely transwomen, young men of color who have sex with other men, and African American females. St. John’s requests a funding preference, Qualification 2: Underserved Populations, which demonstrates St. John’s dedication to providing primary care services to underserved populations with respect to HIV-related health services.
