FY 2021 ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC - PRIMARY CARE HIV PREVENTION - PROJECT ABSTRACT PROJECT TITLE: BOSTON MOUNTAIN HIV EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM APPLICANT NAME: BOSTON MOUNTAIN RURAL HEALTH CENTER, INC. ADDRESS: 2265 HWY 65 NORTH, MARSHALL, ARKANSAS 72650 PROJECT DIRECTOR: DEBBIE ACKERSON, CEO EMAIL: DEBBIEACKERSON@BMRHC.NET CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS: DISTRICTS 1, 2, 3, 4 FUNDING REQUESTED: YEAR 1: $325,000, YEAR 2: $325,000 INCORPORATED IN 1994, BOSTON MOUNTAIN RURAL HEALTH CENTER, INC. (BOSTON MOUNTAIN) WAS ORGANIZED TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND IMPROVE ACCESS TO CARE FOR MEDICALLY VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS. BOSTON MOUNTAIN IS A NCQA PCMH ACCREDITED, 330 FUNDED FQHC THAT PROVIDES COMPREHENSIVE PRIMARY CARE, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND DENTAL SERVICES TO RURAL COMMUNITIES IN NORTHWEST AND NORTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS. THE SERVICE AREA CONSISTS OF TEN RURAL COUNTIES INCLUDING CARROLL, CONWAY, MADISON, MARION, NEWTON, SEARCY, STONE, BAXTER, BOONE AND VAN BUREN. IN 2020, BOSTON MOUNTAIN TREATED 19,923 UNIQUE PATIENTS BY PROVIDING OVER 50,242 MEDICAL, 7,914 DENTAL, AND 6,340 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH VISITS. BOSTON MOUNTAIN'S TARGET POPULATION IS MEDICALLY VULNERABLE INDIVIDUALS LIVING UNDER 200% FPG, WHO ARE EITHER UNINSURED, UNDERINSURED OR HAVE PUBLIC INSURANCE. IN THE SERVICE AREA, NEARLY 40% OF THE POPULATION LIVES BELOW 100% FPG, 8% ARE UNINSURED, AND 35% ARE INSURED THROUGH EITHER TRADITIONAL AR MEDICAID OR AR MEDICAID'S PRIVATE OPTION. THESE DEMOGRAPHICS ARE REFLECTED IN BOSTON MOUNTAIN'S PATIENT POPULATION. TO SUPPORT ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC IN THE US, BOSTON MOUNTAIN IS REQUESTING GRANT FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $325,000 FOR EACH YEAR. FUNDING WILL BE USED TO DEVELOP, IMPLEMENT AND INTEGRATE AN HIV SCREENING AND TREATMENT PROGRAM THAT WILL IDENTIFY HIGH RISK PATIENTS AND HIV POSITIVE CASES, AND PROVIDE IMMEDIATE REFERRAL FOR EARLY INTERVENTION, HIV TREATMENT, PRIMARY CARE, ORAL HEALTH CARE AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. BOSTON MOUNTAIN WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES, INCLUDING TRANSPORTATION, OUTREAC H, MARKETING, CASE MANAGEMENT, MEDICATION ASSISTANCE, HIV/STD TESTING AND RISK REDUCTION THROUGH HEALTH EDUCATION. GRANT FUNDING WILL SUPPORT 0.5 FTE PHYSICIAN TO ESTABLISH SCREENING, PREVENTION, TREATMENT, AND EDUCATION PLANS. BOSTON MOUNTAIN WILL UTILIZE CURRENT STAFF TO ESTABLISH WORKFLOWS FOR RAPID ACCESS TO HIV TESTING AND PERFORM SCREENINGS FOR ALL ELIGIBLE PATIENTS. FUNDING WILL SUPPORT 1.0 FTE PREP NAVIGATOR TO COORDINATE OUTREACH AND MARKETING, CARE MANAGEMENT, AND COORDINATE ONGOING TREATMENT PLANNING FOR HIV POSITIVE PATIENTS. GRANT FUNDS WILL SUPPORT 2.0 FTE TRANSPORTATION DRIVERS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO SERVICES FOR ALL SOCIOECONOMIC POPULATIONS. BOSTON MOUNTAIN IS REQUESTING $36,020 FOR MARKETING COSTS, AND $55,000 TO PURCHASE IN-HOME HIV TEST KITS FOR INDIVIDUALS CONCERNED ABOUT THE STIGMA RELATED TO TESTING. FUNDING WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS COUNSELED AND TESTED FOR HIV, NUMBER OF PATIENTS PRESCRIBED PREP, AND NUMBER OF PATIENTS LINKED TO HIV CARE AND TREATMENT WITHIN 30 DAYS OF DIAGNOSIS.