Project Grant FPHPA006606

MAP FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES - NEIGHBORHOOD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT, INC. DBA MEDICAL ASSOCIATES PLUS (MAP) HAS SERVED RESIDENTS OF AUGUSTA, GEORGIA AND SURROUNDING AREAS SINCE 1997. MAP PROVIDES PRIMARY AND PREVENTIVE MEDICAL AND DENTAL HEALTH CARE, SCHOOL-BASED CARE, MOBILE COVID-19 TESTING AND VACCINATION SERVICES, AS WELL AS SPECIALTY CARE SERVICES AT ELEVEN SERVICE DELIVERY SITES IN GREATER AUGUSTA AND SURROUNDING AREAS. MAP MAINTAINS TOP PATIENT-CENTERED MEDICAL HOME STATUS (LEVEL 3), IS A TOP QUALITY ACHIEVER IN THE STATE, AND IS A 2020 HRSA HEALTH DISPARITIES REDUCER AND ACCESS ENHANCER AWARDEE. MAP HAS SERVED AS A TITLE X GRANTEE SINCE 2018. THE TARGET POPULATION IS THE LOW-INCOME, UNINSURED, UNDERINSURED, AND UNDERSERVED INDIVIDUALS IN RICHMOND AND BURKE COUNTIES AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES IN THE GREATER AUGUSTA SERVICE AREA. THE SERVICE AREA DEMONSTRATES HIGH NEED FOR PROVIDERS AND SERVICES WITH MULTIPLE HPSA/MUA DESIGNATIONS NOTING A REGIONWIDE SHORTAGE OF MEDICAL, DENTAL, AND MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS. IN 2020, 95.1% OF MAP TITLE X FAMILY PLANNING USERS HAD INCOMES BELOW 250% OF FPG AND 52.2% WERE UNINSURED. ADOLESCENTS COMPRISE APPROXIMATELY 13.3% OF SERVICE AREA RESIDENTS AND EXPERIENCE RISK FACTORS SUCH AS HIGH TEENAGE PREGNANCY RATES, HIGH INFANT AND CHILD MORTALITY, HIGH PREVALENCE OF LOW-WEIGHT BIRTHS, AND HIGHER RATES OF STI INFECTIONS COMPARED TO OTHER GEORGIA COUNTIES AND THE NATION. POOR HEALTH BEHAVIORS RESULTING IN POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES UNDERSCORES THE NEED FOR IMPROVED ACCESS TO QUALITY, AFFORDABLE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTHCARE RESOURCES FOR LOW-INCOME AND OTHER SERVICE AREA RESIDENTS TO IMPROVE HEALTH. MAP WILL IMPLEMENT VOLUNTARY TITLE X FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES AND RELATED PREVENTIVE HEALTH SERVICES THAT ARE PATIENT-CENTERED, CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE, INCLUSIVE, AND TRAUMA-INFORMED. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL SERVE AND ESTIMATED 1,701 PATIENTS WITH UNMET NEED BY THE END OF YEAR 1, INCLUDING 266 ADOLESCENTS AND 1,617 LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS.