Project Grant P0647286

RYAN WHITE TITLE III HIV CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING GRANTS - PROJECT TITLE: FY 2022 RWHAP PART C CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM APPLICANT ORGANIZATION NAME: CHATTANOOGA C.A.R.E.S., INC. DBA CEMPA COMMUNITY CARE ADDRESS: 1000 E. 3RD ST. CHATTANOOGA, TN 37403 PROJECT DIRECTOR NAME: CORY HOWARD CONTACT PHONE NUMBER: (423) 803-2722 EMAIL ADDRESS: CHOWARD@CEMPA.ORG WEBSITE ADDRESS: HTTPS://WWW.CEMPA.ORG REQUESTED FUNDS: $150,000 CATEGORY: INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT: OFFICE DENTAL EQUIPMENT FOR EXPANDING DENTAL SERVICE CAPACITY FUNDING PREFERENCE: QUALIFICATION 1: RURAL AREAS AND 2: UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS CEMPA COMMUNITY CARE (CEMPA) REQUESTS RYAN WHITE PART C CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FUNDING OF $150,000 TO EXPAND CAPACITY TO PROVIDE CARE ALONG THE HIV/AIDS CONTINUUM OF CARE BY ADDING A DENTAL CLINIC TO OUR EXISTING CLINIC, THE CEMPA COMMUNITY CARE CLINIC (CCCC). THE CLIENTS WE SERVE INCLUDE PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), PEOPLE WHO INJECT DRUGS, AND PEOPLE AT RISK OF OR EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS. INDIVIDUALS IN THESE POPULATIONS EXPERIENCE SEVERE DENTAL PROBLEMS AT RATES HIGHER THAN THE GENERAL POPULATION AND OFTEN LACK RESOURCES TO ACCESS ORAL HEALTHCARE. OUR PROGRAM WILL WORK PRIMARILY WITH PLWHA, BUT WHEN NOT SERVING INDIVIDUALS WITH HIV OR AIDS, WILL SERVE MANY LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY. CEMPA'S SERVICE AREA IS 11 SOUTHEAST COUNTIES, WHICH INCLUDES CHATTANOOGA, THE MOST POPULATED CITY IN OUR REGION WITH THE THIRD HIGHEST PREVALENCE RATE OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS IN THE STATE AT 311.66 PER 100,000 PERSONS. IN 2019, OUR CLINIC SERVED 816 CLIENTS LIVING WITH HIV, WHICH IS ESTIMATED TO BE ABOUT 77% OF PLWHA IN OUR SERVICE AREA. THE GREATER CHATTANOOGA AREA IS UNDERSERVED WHEN IT COMES TO DENTAL CARE, AND THE MAJORITY OF OUR SERVICE AREA IS A DENTAL HEALTH CARE PROVIDER SHORTAGE AREA. IN OUR ENTIRE SERVICE AREA, THERE ARE ONLY TWO OTHER FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS OFFERING DENTAL SERVICES, SERVING A POPULATION OF OVER 700,000 URBAN AND RURAL RESIDENTS. EXPANDING ON CEMPA' S SUCCESS IN USING FEDERAL FUNDS TO PROVIDE AFFORDABLE PRIMARY CARE TO THE INDIVIDUALS IN OUR COMMUNITY WITH THE GREATEST NEED, CEMPA WILL EXPAND CARE ALONG THE HIV CONTINUUM TO INCLUDE DENTAL HEALTH. OFFERING DENTAL SERVICES FOR PLWHA IN THE CCCC WILL RELIEVE PRESSURE AND ALLOW INDIVIDUALS TO ACCESS VITAL ORAL HEALTH CARE.