Project Grant P0650266

RYAN WHITE TITLE III HIV CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING GRANTS - QCHC IS REQUESTING $144,689 FOR HIV CARE INNOVATION, COORDINATION OF HIV PRIMARY CARE WITH ORAL HEALTH AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CARE. SINCE QCHC ALREADY OFFERS INTEGRATED PRIMARY AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE FOR OUR RWHAP CLIENTS, THE CENTRAL FOCUS OF THIS REQUEST IS TO EXPAND THESE INTEGRATED SERVICES AND TO COORDINATE WITH ORAL HEALTH SERVICES. IN 2023 QCHC WILL BE MOVING SERVICES TO A NEW BUILDING ON OUR HEALTH CARE CAMPUS LOCATED ON THE CATS BUS ROUTE ON BEATTIES FORD ROAD IN THE HISTORIC WEST END OF CHARLOTTE. THE NEW FULLY ACCESSIBLE BUILDING HAS BEEN OUTFITTED WITH DENTAL SERVICES IN MIND, WITH THE REQUIRED CAPACITY AND INFRASTRUCTURE. QCHC WILL COORDINATE OUR EXISTING INTEGRATED PRIMARY AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE SERVICES FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV IN THEIR BODIES WITH ORAL HEALTH BY CONTRACTING WITH AN ORAL HEALTH PROVIDER TO OFFER SERVICES AT QCHC'S NEW FACILITY ON A WEEKLY BASIS. QCHC HAS DEVELOPED THE PROPOSED PROGRAM WITH THE FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES: 1). ESTABLISH INTEGRATED ORAL HEALTH WITH QCHC'S EXISTING HIV PRIMARY/BEHAVIORAL CARE SERVICES; 2). PROVIDE INTEGRATED ORAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES FOR AT LEAST 50 UNDUPLICATED HIV POSITIVE CLIENTS THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT YEAR; 3). INCREASE RETENTION IN CARE AND OVERALL HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR 50 HIV POSITIVE INDIVIDUALS IN THE CHARLOTTE TGA WITH INTEGRATED PRIMARY, BEHAVIORAL AND ORAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES; AND, 4). ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH RWHAP PART C CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT. THIS PROPOSED ACTIVITY WILL ADDRESS MULTIPLE STAGES OF THE HIV CONTINUUM OF CARE INCLUDING LINKAGE TO CARE, IMPROVED RETENTION IN CARE AND ACHIEVED/MAINTAINED VIRAL SUPPRESSION BY REDUCING BARRIERS TO CARE AND ENSURING A TRULY "ONE STOP SHOP" FOR ALL HEALTHCARE NEEDS FOR THE TGA'S HIV POSITIVE POPULATION, WITH A PARTICULAR FOCUS ON BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICANS. QCHC HAS PROVIDED HIV PREVENTION AND CARE SERVICES SINCE THE AGENCY'S INCEPTION IN 2005. QCHC IS LOCATED IN THE HISTORIC WEST END OF CHARLOTTE, NC, IN THE MIDST OF ZIP CODES MOS T THREATENED BY COMMUNICABLE AND CHRONIC DISEASE. THE ORGANIZATION BEGAN AS A MEDICAID AGENCY AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN SERVING UNINSURED POPULATIONS, INCLUDING WICY. THE GROWING NUMBER OF NEW HIV/AIDS CASES IN MECKLENBURG COUNTY AND THE TGA GENERATED A GROWTH SPURT WITHIN QCHC AND NEW PROGRAMMING WAS DEVELOPED IN RESPONSE TO COMMUNITY NEEDS. THE AGENCY NOW OFFERS A FULL INTERNAL HIV CONTINUUM OF CARE INCLUDING PRIMARY CARE, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES, AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES), HIV CARE (HIV PRIMARY CARE, MEDICAL CASE MANAGEMENT, MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION, PSYCHOSOCIAL SUPPORT, ART) AND HIV PREVENTION SERVICES (HIV TESTING AND COUNSELING, HIP INTERVENTIONS, ARTAS, PREP, CONDOM DISTRIBUTION), AND CLIENT SERVICES (BENEFITS NAVIGATION, TRANSPORTATION AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, ETC.). WE ARE PROUD TO HOST THE POWERHOUSE PROJECT AND DROP-IN CENTER, THE FIRST SAFE SPACE FOR BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICANS WITH HIV IN THE WEST END. POWERHOUSE IS PARTICULARLY KEY TO ENGAGING AND RETAINING INDIVIDUALS IN CARE, AND OFFERS PEER SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES, CONTINUING EDUCATION/WORKPLACE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES AND COMMUNITY BUILDING. QCHC SERVICES APPROXIMATELY 3,000 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY INCLUDING 300 HIV POSITIVE MEMBERS OF THE CHARLOTTE TRANSITIONAL GRANT AREA (TGA).