Sunday, May 11, 2025
5/11/2025
Ryan White Title III HIV Capacity Development and Planning Grants - Zufall Health requests $149,880 through the HRSA Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) Part C Capacity Development Program Fiscal Year 2024 funding category of Infrastructure Development for the Dental Equipment for Expanding Dental Service Capacity activity. Zufall, a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) serving the most vulnerable residents across seven northern and central New Jersey counties, proposes expanding dental service capacity and improving health outcomes for our RWHAP patients by acquiring a panoramic x-ray machine for one site and endodontic kits for five sites. This equipment will enable Zufall to offer two new dental services in an integrated service care setting, addressing the HIV Care Continuum stage “Retention in Care.” People living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) are at higher risk of oral health conditions. The most common barriers to dental care are cost/lack of insurance for dental care; long appointment wait times; laborious administrative procedures; and psychological stress. Our request to fund panoramic x-rays addresses the barriers to care that RWHAP patients face by providing state-of-the-art dental screening for prevention as well as diagnosis of oral health issues in a non-invasive, no-contact manner. This can help reduce anxiety in patients seeking dental care and make the dental visit more acceptable to patients. Endodontic equipment is specialized for the treatment of oral health issues that would otherwise result in abscesses, systemic infections, tooth loss and even death. Availability of these two additional services on-site will expand access to care and result in increased rates of dental service utilization by our RWHAP patients. As an FQHC that provides integrated primary medical care, dental, behavioral health, and supportive enabling services, Zufall will provide these expanded dental services alongside other services under one roof to eliminate dental care barriers related to affordability, wait times, transportation, and health care system navigation. Zufall’s Director of HIV Services; our Senior Vice President, Dental Services; and our Chief Information Officer will lead the project, with support from RWHAP Team members; Dental Team members; and Patient Representatives. All Zufall staff are trained in trauma-informed care, an approach especially helpful for a project that will serve many historically marginalized populations. With support for this project, Zufall will be able to provide panoramic x-rays and root canals to low-income and under/uninsured PLWHA. Because these dental services are not widely available and accessible, PLWHA often go without these services for months or years if they receive services at all. The requested dental equipment will help Zufall diagnose dental issues earlier, prevent complications of untreated dental conditions, improve the quality of life of our patients, and save costs for both the patient and the health care system.
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).