FY 2021 ending the HIV epidemic - primary care HIV prevention - founded in 1980, neighborhood health care INC., DBA neighborhood family practice (NFP), is a network of eight community health centers…

FY 2021 ending the HIV epidemic - primary care HIV prevention - founded in 1980, neighborhood health care INC., DBA neighborhood family practice (NFP), is a network of eight community health centers (CHC) providing integrated primary care to cleveland's diverse west side neighborhoods and adjacent areas. NFP is dedicated to partnering with the community for everyone's best health, maintains a philosophy of serving the family, addresses community need, and delivers high-quality and affordable health care to people of all ages, regardless of ability to pay. NFP's sites are strategically located in medically underserved neighborhoods to increase access to primary care, behavioral health, midwifery, dental, pharmacy, and enabling services for low-income individuals and families. In CY 2020, NFP provided care to 21,686 unduplicated patients, an increase of nearly 2% over the 2020 figure despite the onset of the covid-19 pandemic. Last year, 73% of patients lived with annual household incomes below 200% of the federal poverty level. To provide care to patients when covid-19 restricted in-clinic visits, NFP quickly implemented telehealth in march 2020, and of the 83,218 patient visits reported, 56% occurred virtually. NFP is an experienced CHC with a strong history of providing comprehensive primary care services. NFP has formulated a plan to establish a comprehensive HIV program which offers a full continuum of services for HIV prevention, linkage to care, and management by 2024. Since september 2019, NFP has onboarded two experienced board-certified family medicine physicians, also american academy of HIV medicine specialists, and in march 2020 launched its integrated HIV primary care services to meet the complex needs of people living with HIV(PLWH). As a subrecipient of ryan white part a funding through the cuyahoga county board of health, NFP has incorporated care coordination, medical case management, emergency financial assistance for medications and medical transportation in its care delivery model. HIV pre vention strategies are an important expansion of NFP's primary care model and integral to the establishment of NFP's comprehensive HIV program. NFP currently offers HIV testing and prep prescriptions. These services are not grant funded and there is significant room for expansion and consistency of efforts. This calendar year, through november 30, NFP has provided 2,110 patients with HIV testing with patients who tested positive linked to care at NFP within 30 days. While, NFP's positivity rate is very low for those tested, the 44102 ZIP code being targeted had the highest rates of prevalence and new HIV infections reported in cuyahoga county in 2018. The data indicates a need to continue to improve efforts to identify individuals with undiagnosed HIV and those at greatest risk for HIV. Collaborative efforts with community partners will advance these efforts. Forty-six patients have been prescribed prep this calendar year. Pchp funds will leverage an expansion of HIV prevention services into NFP's primary care setting with efforts including HIV testing, prescribing of prep, and fostering early diagnosis and linkage to HIV care. Activities will focus on creating new staff roles and positions, improving internal workflows to integrate HIV prevention activities more seamlessly into NFP's current service lines, and conducting trainings and education for providers and all staff. Other pchp-funded activities will enhance outreach and education efforts within NFP's service area to connect a larger number of high-risk individuals to HIV prevention services and ongoing primary care. Pchp funds will allow NFP to purchase supplies such as rapid HIV tests as well as to increase the workforce capacity needed to coordinate and advance culturally and linguistically sensitive HIV prevention efforts within NFP's care model and its engagement with the broader service area.