Ryan White Title III HIV Capacity Development and Planning Grants - Project Title: FY 2025 RWHAP Part C Capacity Development Program Applicant Name: The C.W. Williams Community Health Center, Inc. (CWWCHC or Center) Grant Funds Requested: $150,000 Selected Category: HIV Care Innovation Selected Activity: Inclusive Care for Underrepresented Communities with Disproportionately High Rates of HIV Funding Preference: Funding preference is requested based on Qualification 2: Underserved Populations Organization Overview: Founded in 1980, CWWCHC handles nearly 35,000 patient encounters annually, representing between 12,000 and 13,000 patients, with 89% being classified as a racial or ethnic minority, 73% living on incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level, 33% receiving coverage through Medicaid, 7% being unhoused, and 35% being uninsured. Center services include primary/preventive medical and dental care, behavioral health, comprehensive HIV/STI testing, treatment and care, 340B pharmacy, case management, mobile medical and dental services, and community outreach. Target Populations: Low income, uninsured, underinsured, and medically persons living with HIV (PLWH) in the Charlotte Transitional Grant Area (TGA or service area) of Anson, Cabarrus, Gaston, Mecklenburg, and Union counties in North Carolina and York County in South Carolina. Needs to Be Addressed: CWWCHC is located in a designated Medically Underserved Area where there are limited resources and significant unmet needs, especially for low income PLWH. CWWCHC’s service area has one of the highest HIV infection rates in the nation and the highest in the state of North Carolina, with significant racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities. Throughout the region, PLWH face a host of other barriers to care, including multiple social determinants of health factors and stigma. Over the past 4 years, CWWCHC’s HIV patient population has grown by 364%, from 50 to 232 patients, with the health center’s care team expanding to meet patient demand. Unfortunately, CWWCHC’s screening and scheduling systems are outdated and need to be modernized. Collectively, all of the aforementioned issues present barriers to care and can result in poor health outcomes for PLWH. For these reasons, there is an urgent need for CWWCHC to update its intake and assessment systems, as well as to enhance staff training and professional development efforts. Summary of Proposed Project: CWWCHC will use RWHAP Part C Supplemental Funding to provide targeted training for healthcare professionals and front-line service aimed at enhancing knowledge of the health and social needs of underrepresented communities with disproportionately high rates of HIV. Training will also focus on best practices for the provision of inclusive care to reduce HIV-related disparities in target populations throughout the service area. In addition, funding will be used to modernize appointment scheduling and registration processes and to incorporate the PRAPARE® evidence-based SDOH screening tool in the health center’s electronic health record. These system upgrades will improve appointment scheduling efficiency, increase patient engagement and activation, reduce patient anxiety, facilitate referrals, decrease missed appointments. They will also empower individuals to take proactive actions to maintain and improve their health and well-being. Additional anticipated project outcomes include enhanced care continuity and coordination, improved and faster linkage to care, increased retention in care, improved viral load suppression rates, increased provider/patient trust, increased satisfaction regarding the patient experience and service delivery, improved data collection and analysis (leading to better program evaluation and continuous improvement process or CQI), increased organizational capacity to respond to patient growth and reduced HIV-related disparities in underrepresented populations. This project is not an expansion of a previously funded activity. We appreciate HRSA’s consideration.
