Project Grant H8H46166

FY 2021 ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC - PRIMARY CARE HIV PREVENTION - PROJECT ABSTRACT PROJECT TITLE: PREP TO ELIMINATE HIV IN THE MID-ARKANSAS DELTA APPLICANT ORGANIZATION NAME: MID-DELTA HEALTH SYSTEMS, INC. ADDRESS: 245 MADISON STREET CLARENDON, AR 72029 PROJECT DIRECTOR NAME: MONICA LINDLEY, CEO CONTACT PHONE NUMBERS (VOICE): 870-747-3381 EMAIL ADDRESS: MLINDLEY@MID-DELTA.ORG WEBSITE ADDRESS, IF APPLICABLE: MID-DELTA.ORG LIST ALL GRANT PROGRAM FUNDS REQUESTED IN THE APPLICATION, IF APPLICABLE: $325,000/YR, 2 YEARS REQUEST FOR FUNDING PREFERENCE, PRIORITY, OR SPECIAL CONSIDERATION: N/A HEALTH CENTER PROGRAM GRANT NUMBER: H80CS17147 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPOSED PROJECT: FOR OVER THIRTY YEARS, MID-DELTA HEALTH SYSTEMS INC. (MHS) HAS PROVIDED PRIMARY HEALTHCARE, SUPPORT, AND ENABLING SERVICES TO UNDERSERVED RESIDENTS OF PREDOMINANTLY RURAL MID-DELTA ARKANSAS. NEW PCHP FUNDS WILL SUPPORT THE HEALTH CENTER TO PROVIDE TARGETED EFFORTS TO ELIMINATE HIV BY ACCOMPLISHING THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES: 1) INCREASE HIV TESTING WITHIN CLINIC AND OUTREACH SETTINGS (1,400 INDIVIDUALS), 2) INCREASE THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS PRESCRIBED PREP (20), AND 3) LINK (85%) NEWLY DIAGNOSED HIV POSITIVE CLIENTS TO TREATMENT AND CARE WITHIN 30 DAYS. THE PROPOSED SERVICE AREA INCLUDES FIVE COUNTIES (LEE, ARKANSAS, MONROE, PHILLIPS, AND PRAIRIE) WITHIN THE LARGELY UNDERSERVED AND IMPOVERISHED MID-ARKANSAS DELTA REGION. NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED: WHILE TARGETED EFFORTS CONTINUE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE ON ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC ACROSS THE NATION, THERE ARE STILL A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF NEWLY DIAGNOSED HIV CASES EACH YEAR. IN A RECENT INTERVIEW, THE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH NOTED CONCERN THAT THE CONTINUED DOWNWARD TREND IN HIV DIAGNOSES WITHIN THE STATE MAY HAVE TO DO WITH A LACK OF TESTING RATHER THAN ACTUAL DECLINE IN NEW CASES (ARKANSAS HIV NUMBERS CONTINUE DOWNWARD TREND, CONCERNS ABOUT POSSIBLE LACK IN TESTING, KARK.COM, PUBLISHED JUNE 30, 2021). IN THE MID-ARKANSAS DELTA, THERE ARE SUBSTANTIAL BARRIERS TO ADEQUATE HIV TESTING, PREVENTION, AND EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO HEALTH INEQUITIES, SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH, POOR INFRASTRUCTURE, AND LACK OF HEALTHCARE WORKFORCE. HEALTH CENTERS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN EXPANDING ACCESSIBLE AND AFFORDABLE HIV TESTING, PREP MEDICATION, AND LINKAGE TO CARE FOR ADULTS, REGARDLESS OF THE ABILITY TO PAY. THIS ROLE AS A HIV PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES SAFETY NET PROVIDER IS PERHAPS EVEN MORE CRITICAL IN REGIONS WITH LIMITED RYAN WHITE PROGRAM AVAILABILITY. PROPOSED SERVICES: THE HEALTH CENTER WILL ACHIEVE THE THREE REQUIRED OBJECTIVES: 1) INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS COUNSELED AND TESTED FOR HIV, 2) INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS PRESCRIBED PREP, AND 3) INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS LINKED TO HIV CARE AND TREATMENT WITHIN 30 DAYS OF DIAGNOSIS. POPULATION GROUP(S) TO BE SERVED: THE PROJECT WILL SERVE EXISTING HEALTH CENTER PATIENTS WITHIN THE CLINIC SETTING, AS WELL AS INDIVIDUALS (PRIMARILY ADULTS AGE 18-64) THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY. TARGET SUBPOPULATIONS WILL INCLUDE: COLLEGE STUDENTS, SECTION 330 HOUSING TENANTS, AND AFRICAN AMERICAN MSM. DESCRIPTION OF PROPOSED PROJECT: THE HEALTH CENTER WILL ACCOMPLISH PROPOSED PROJECT OBJECTIVES BY 1) ENHANCING EXISTING HEALTH WORKFORCE INFRASTRUCTURE, TRAINING, AND SUPPORT RELATED TO HIV PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES, 2) INCREASING COLLA BORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS TO MEET UNMET NEEDS AND FILL EXISTING GAPS IN HIV PREVENTION AND EARLY INTERVENTION SERVICES THROUGHOUT THE REGION, AND 3) INTEGRATING SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS INTO THE HEALTH CENTER SERVICE DELIVERY MODEL TO ENSURE SUSTAINABILITY BEYOND THE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE. DESCRIPTION OF HOW THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL FOCUS ON THE TARGETED GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS: MID-DELTA HEALTH SYSTEMS WILL PROVIDE PROPOSED PCHP SERVICES AT MID-DELTA HEALTH CENTER SITES (CLARENDON & DEWITT, AR) AND THROUGH COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS WITH EXISTING HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION, AND OTHER COMMUNITY PARTN