Ryan white title III HIV capacity development and planning grants - description of proposed project

New Horizon Family Health Services Inc., a Federally Qualified Health Center in Greenville, South Carolina, received a $144,528 Ryan White Title III HIV Capacity Development and Planning Grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration's HIV/AIDS Bureau under the HIV-Related Training and Technical Assistance program (CFDA 93.145). The one-year project award, effective September 1, 2025 through August 31, 2026, supports infrastructure development to expand oral health care services for people with HIV across a ten-county service area in upstate South Carolina.

The grant enables New Horizon to enhance its capacity to deliver comprehensive oral health care—a critical but underutilized service within its Ryan White patient population. Currently serving 1,225 Ryan White patients with a 92.1% viral suppression rate, the organization provided oral health care to only 65 patients (5.3%) in 2023. Through this infrastructure development initiative, New Horizon aims to increase oral health care access to reach at least 1,259 Ryan White patients by 2026, addressing significant gaps in specialized dental services for low-income, uninsured individuals with HIV in the region, where nearly one-third of residents live below 200% of the federal poverty guideline.

New horizon family health services, INC. (NHFHS), a non-profit federally qualified health center (FQHC), has been serving greenville county and the surrounding counties of upstate south carolina since 1992. The center provides comprehensive primary, behavioral health, and oral health care targeted to low-income individuals and those who lack insurance. Since 1999, NHFHS has served as the ryan white (RW) part C early intervention services (EIS) provider serving people with HIV (PWH) in the ten-county service area of abbeville, anderson, edgefield, greenville, greenwood, laurens, mccormick, oconee, pickens, and saluda counties. In accordance with the ending the HIV epidemic initiative, all of NHFHS's part C EIS program activities strive to decrease transmission and improve health outcomes for PWH while reducing HIV-related health disparities and inequities. The center served 1,225 RW patients in 2023, 92.1% of whom achieved viral suppression (RSR, 2023). NHFHS is one of the few area providers of comprehensive HIV primary medical care, and the only source of sliding fee dental services focused on PWH. Approximately 5.3% of NHFHS's RW patients (65/1,225) received oral health care in 2023 (RSR, 2023). The proposed infrastructure development project will enable NHFHS to expand access to needed oral health care for its RW population with a goal of reaching at least 1,259 RW patients with oral health care in 2026. Needs to be addressed. PWH often have difficulties finding oral health providers who are familiar with their needs. This can be exacerbated by poverty and lack of insurance. In the service area, nearly a third (32.2%) of residents live with incomes at or below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines (FPG) (ACS, census bureau, 2019-2023). Among low-income adults under age 65 in the service area, the uninsured rate is 17.6% (sahie, census bureau, 2022). In 2023, NHFHS served 388 (31.8%) RW patients with no form of insurance (RSR). Proposed services. This application proposes capacity expansion for dental services to be provided from the centrally located freestanding dental site in greenville county. Population to be served. This proposal will serve PWH, including patients enrolled in RW part C services. Project category and activity. The proposed project category is infrastructure development, and the activity is dental equipment for expanding dental capacity. Summary of proposed activity & intended impact. Capacity development funds are requested to purchase equipment, equipment protection plans, and supplies, and cover the cost of one-time training, to equip NHFHS to begin providing single unit crowns and onlay fixed prosthodontics that provide functional support for long term tooth retention; purchase a portable X-RAY machine that will enable NHFHS to obtain dental X-rays in any location; purchase diode laser systems for use with soft tissue and bleeding management, biopsy procedures, viral treatment, periodontal infection treatment, etc.; and purchase slow speed motor systems that will enable NHFHS to adhere to best practices for changing slow speed motor attachments such as dental handpieces between each patient. These purchases will expand the available dental care services for PWH and provide increased capacity for the provision of oral health care. Funding request: $144,528. NHFHS requests a funding preference as IT meets the qualifications for rural areas and underserved populations.