Friday, April 4, 2025
4/4/2025
Ryan White Title III HIV Capacity Development and Planning Grants - Infrastructure Development – Dental Equipment for Expanding Dental Service Capacity WellSpace Health (WellSpace) understands the critical need for healthcare interventions in underserved communities. WellSpace is creating a robust infectious disease and sexual health program aimed at strengthening its capacity to provide essential services to HIV patients, which includes dental care. This program will strengthen WellSpace's capacity to provide full dental services to HIV patients. WellSpace will address the HIV/AIDS gap in dental services by constructing a treatment area at its Oak Park Dental Health Center that is dedicated to HIV/AIDS patients. Funding from Ryan White Part C will go toward the purchase of a patient’s dental chair, x-ray equipment, and sterilization equipment for the WellSpace Oak Park Dental Center, a low-income and Black/African American neighborhood with a history of disadvantages. Affordable dental services, empathetic trained staff, dental case managers, access to medical and mental health care, and resources to resolve the social determinants of health needs are among the many services provided by WellSpace. The founder of Golden Rule Services (a local HIV agency) in Sacramento finds that there is a great need for HIV testing, prevention, and services for the Black community residing in Oak Park. There is a stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS in the Black community and there is a culture of silence (interview with Sacramento News & Review, 10/26/2021). Individuals living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) are particularly vulnerable to oral health issues such as chronic dry mouth, gingivitis, periodontitis with tooth decay, canker sores, oral warts, fever blisters, oral candidiasis, hairy leukoplakia (National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research). Ryan White funding will enable WellSpace to expand its dental services to HIV patients while addressing the disproportionate impact on Black/African American communities. The Greater Sacramento County area is an Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) designated county. WellSpace adopts a holistic approach to care, integrating oral, medical, and mental health services to comprehensively address the needs of HIV patients. Management of HIV in the primary care setting is similar to management of other chronic diseases, and screening for and managing comorbidities is standard in primary care settings. These interconnected health needs reinforce the services WellSpace provides HIV patients. Comprehensive oral, medical, and mental health services are integrated. WellSpace practices whole-person care, which includes social determinates of health resources (housing, legal, immigration, food instability, transportation, and others). WellSpace was originally founded in 1953 as one of the region’s first social services agencies providing mental health treatment and prevention services. WellSpace was designated as a Federally Qualified Health Center in 2009 and accredited by The Joint Commission for both Ambulatory Care and Behavioral Health in 2015. WellSpace provides comprehensive medical, dental, behavioral health, and supportive services to 1,400 people per day through an integrated system of Federally Qualified Health Centers, Behavioral Health Centers, California’s second largest 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Center (988 Sacramento), WellSpace Nexus (group of specialists) and collaborative partnerships (health and social services). WellSpace has 1,200 experienced and highly skilled employees providing services throughout the greater Sacramento County region.
HHS’ Tracking Accountability in Government Grants System (TAGGS) website provides access to detailed descriptions of grants, loans, aggregated direct payments and other types of financial assistance awarded by the HHS Operating Divisions (OPDIVs) and the Office of the Secretary Staff Divisions (STAFFDIVs).