Via Care Community Health Center

HEALTH CENTER CLUSTER

HEALTH CENTER CLUSTER

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDING FOR HEALTH CENTERS

VIA CARE MAT AND RECOVERY - VIA CARE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER (VIA CARE) WILL PROVIDE MEDICALLY-ASSISTED TREATMENT (MAT) WITH BUPRENORPHINE AND COMPREHENSIVE WRAPAROUND RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES (RSS) FOR LOW-INCOME, PRIMARILY LATINX ADULTS DIAGNOSED WITH AN OPIOID USE DISORDER (OUD) RESIDING IN EAST LOS ANGELES (EAST LA) WITH A FOCUS ON REENTRY INDIVIDUALS MANY OF WHOM ARE GANG-IMPACTED, PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS (PEH), THE UNDOCUMENTED AND UNINSURED, INDIVIDUALS WITH OTHER ILLNESSES SUCH AS HIV AND HEPATITIS C, AND PREGNANT/PARENTING WOMEN. WE WILL PROVIDE MAT SERVICES TO 40 PATIENTS IN YEAR 1, 60 IN YEAR 2, 80 IN YEAR 3, 90 IN YEAR 4, AND 100 IN YEAR 5, FOR A TOTAL OF 370 PATIENTS. VIA CARE WILL ENHANCE AND EXPAND MAT AND OUD PSYCHOSOCIAL SERVICES AT OUR CESAR CHAVEZ HEALTH CENTER (IN EAST LA) AND EXTEND TO OUR TWO NEWEST CLINICS: TWEEDY HEALTH CENTER (IN SOUTH GATE, A CITY 9 MILES AWAY) AND THE STUDENT HEALTH CENTER AT LA TRADE TECH COLLEGE (IN NEARBY DOWNTOWN LA). VIA CARE IS BASING OUR MAT PROJECT ON BOSTON MEDICAL CENTER'S "MASSACHUSETTS MODEL," AN OFFICE-BASED ADDICTION TREATMENT (OBAT) PROGRAM THAT MIRRORS THE COLLABORATIVE CASE MANAGEMENT-BASED MODEL THAT OUR CLINICS EMPLOY FOR OTHER MEDICAL CONDITIONS INCLUDING HIV, HEPATITIS C AND DIABETES. OUR PROJECT CENTERS ON AN RN-LEVEL NURSE CARE MANAGER WHO WILL PROVIDE ONGOING MEDICAL MANAGEMENT, COORDINATION OF FOLLOW-UP CARE, TELEHEALTH MONITORING, RELAPSE PREVENTION, OVERDOSE EDUCATION AND SUPPORT FOR SELF-MANAGEMENT- WHILE EFFECTIVELY COORDINATING WITH THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY VIA CARE MAT TEAM. THE TEAM INCLUDES DATA X-WAIVERED PRESCRIBING PROVIDERS, A CLINICAL PHARMACIST, PSYCHIATRIC NURSE PRACTITIONER, LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER, AND 2 PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT SPECIALISTS (PRSS) WHO WILL PROVIDE PSYCHOSOCIAL CASE MANAGEMENT, RSS, PEER COACHING, AND LINKAGE TO EXTERNAL RESOURCES. VIA CARE'S OVERARCHING GOAL IS TO MITIGATE THE IMPACT OF OPIOID MISUSE IN THE EAST LA COMMUNITY THROUGH INCREASING ACCESS TO MAT WHILE DECREASING ILLICIT OPIOID USE AND PRESCRIPTION OPIOID MISUSE AT 6-MONTH FOLLOW-UP AND IMPROVING THE CAPACITY OF EAST LA'S MAT/OUD SYSTEM OF CARE, THEREBY IMPROVING THE HEALTH AND WELLBEING OF THOSE WITH OUD. INTERVENTIONS AND PROJECT COMPONENTS TO BE IMPLEMENTED INCLUDE: OUTREACH, ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT (INCLUDING THOSE DIRECTLY AFFECTED BY OUD AND OVERDOSE), SCREENING AND ASSESSMENT, MAT USING BUPRENORPHINE, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, RSS, AND EVIDENCE-BASED PROGRAMS SUCH AS COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL THERAPY, THE MATRIX MODEL, AND PEER COACHING. OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: (1) ESTABLISHING THE EAST LA OPIOID RESPONSE COLLABORATIVE COMPRISED OF RESIDENTS IMPACTED BY OUD AND OVERDOSE, VIA CARE STAFF, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS; (2) ENHANCING EXISTING AND FORGING NEW REFERRAL AND COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS TO PROMOTE PATIENT RECOVERY; (3) INCREASING THE NUMBER OF DATA X-WAIVERED PRESCRIBERS IN OUR SYSTEM AND PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT EDUCATION AND CULTURAL COMPETENCY TRAINING ABOUT SUD ISSUES TO CLINIC PERSONNEL (100 PERSONS ANNUALLY); (4) ENGAGING 75% OF MAT PATIENTS IN RSS TO PROMOTE LONG-TERM RECOVERY; (5) ACHIEVING A REDUCTION IN ILLEGAL DRUG USE BY PATIENTS BY 50%; AND (6) SUCCEEDING IN IMPROVING QUALITY OF LIFE MEASURES FOR AT LEAST 50% OF PATIENTS.

VIA CARE CHICAS - VIA CARE AND ITS CBO SUBCONTRACTOR, EAST LA WOMEN’S CENTER (ELAWC), HAVE DESIGNED A COMPREHENSIVE, HIGH-IMPACT HIV PREVENTION PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF HIGH-RISK HETEROSEXUAL, LOW-INCOME ADULT LATINA/HISPANIC WOMEN AGES 18-64 IN EAST LOS ANGELES. EAST LA IS PART OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY, ONE OF THE GEOGRAPHIC AREAS MOST SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED BY HIV IN THE US, AS PER ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC: A PLAN FOR AMERICA (EHE) INITIATIVE TO ELIMINATE HIV IN THE COUNTRY. LATINAS IN VIA CARE’S SERVICE AREA ARE VASTLY UNDERSERVED AND UNDER-RESOURCED FOR HIV PREVENTION INTERVENTIONS. IN LA COUNTY, 75% OF WOMEN WHO CONTRACT HIV DO SO FROM HETEROSEXUAL SEX AND THE REMAINING 25% FROM SHARING CONTAMINATED INJECTION EQUIPMENT. WHILE LATINAS REPRESENT ONLY 5.2% OF THE HIV CASES IN THE COUNTY, CISGENDER WOMEN, THE LATINX COMMUNITY, AND PEOPLE WHO INJECT DRUGS (WHO WILL BE SIGNIFICANTLY REPRESENTED AMONG THE TARGET POPULATION FOR THE PROPOSED PROJECT) EXPERIENCE WORSE HIV HEALTH DISPARITIES THAN OTHER GROUPS. THESE INCLUDE THE LOWEST RATES OF LINKAGE TO AND ENGAGEMENT IN CARE, PREP COVERAGE, AWARENESS OF HIV STATUS, AND RECENT PARTICIPATION IN HIV TESTING. YET, DESPITE BEING A KEY POPULATION OF FOCUS IN LA COUNTY’S ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC PLAN, WOMEN OF COLOR, PARTICULARLY LATINAS IN EAST LA, HAVE THUS RECEIVED SCANT ATTENTION WHEN COMPARED TO OTHER GROUPS. THIS GROUP FACES SIGNIFICANT SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH-RELATED BARRIERS TO HIV PREVENTION SERVICES THAT INCLUDE POVERTY; CULTURAL STIGMA AROUND SEXUALITY AND HIV; LOW HEALTH LITERACY AND AWARENESS OF HIV; UNSTABLE HOUSING; AND EXPOSURE TO GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE. IN RESPONSE TO THE EXISTING EPIDEMIOLOGICAL DATA, GUIDANCE FROM THE LA COUNTY’S PROPOSED ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC PLAN, DECADES OF EXPERIENCE WITH THE TARGET POPULATION, AND CONSULTATION WITH DHSP, VIA CARE PROPOSES A NEW INITIATIVE, COMPREHENSIVE HIV INTERVENTION FOR COMMUNITY-BASED AWARENESS AND SERVICES (“CHICAS”). UNDER THE CDC PS21-2102 OPPORTUNITY, CHICAS WILL TARGET ADULT HIGH-RISK HETEROSEXUAL LATINAS, MANY OF WHOM ARE SURVIVORS OF GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE (GBV), ARE WOMEN WHO INJECT DRUGS (WWID), ARE EXITING LA COUNTY JAILS (REENTRY WOMEN), AND HAVE OTHER CHARACTERISTICS THAT POSE HIGH RISK FOR HIV INFECTION AND RESULT IN POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV (PLWH) IN AND NEARBY EAST LA NEIGHBORHOODS. OVER THE 5-YEAR GRANT PERIOD, CHICAS WILL REACH MORE THAN 15,000 WOMEN WITH BRIEF HIV EDUCATION PRESENTATIONS VIA OUTREACH BY COMMUNITY HEALTH PROMOTORAS. A TOTAL OF 6,200 HIV SCREENINGS WILL BE CONDUCTED, 75% OF WHICH WILL BE RAPID TESTS WITH THE TARGETED CRITICAL SUBPOPULATIONS AND 25% WITH LATINAS DURING ROUTINE MEDICAL VISITS AT VIA CARE FQHC CLINICS. SIXTY PERCENT OF HIV TESTING EVENTS WILL INCLUDE INTEGRATED TESTING FOR STD, VIRAL HEPATITIS AND/OR TB. CHICAS WILL IDENTIFY 45 NEWLY DIAGNOSED AND 45 PREVIOUSLY DIAGNOSED PLWH AMONG THE TARGET POPULATION IN EAST LA; 91% OF NEWLY AND PREVIOUSLY DIAGNOSED PLWH WILL BE LINKED TO CARE WITHIN 30 DAYS; AND 100% OF ALL PLWH WILL BE REFERRED TO PARTNER SERVICES. SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF HRN WOMEN WILL BE REFERRED TO PREP SERVICES AT VIA CARE, AND 15% WILL ENROLL; 2,700 WILL RECEIVE THE SISTER TO SISTER EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTION (EBI); AND 3,200 WILL RECEIVE PESS AT VIA CARE, ELAWC AND OTHER PARTNERS. AT LEAST 10,000 CONDOMS AND 10,000 FEMALE CONDOMS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO PROTECT WOMEN FROM CONTRACTING HIV. IN ADDITION TO SISTER TO SISTER, THE EBIS ARTAS AND STAY CONNECTED WILL BE IMPLEMENTED WITHIN THE TARGET POPULATIONS. VIA CARE REQUESTS $2,363,905 OVER FIVE YEARS FOR CHICAS, WHICH WILL ADDRESS HIV RISK BY DEVELOPING, IMPLEMENTING, AND EVALUATING A COMPREHENSIVE, INTEGRATED NAVIGATION PROGRAM THAT INCORPORATES PROVEN STRATEGIES TO ADDRESS CRITICAL GAPS IN SERVICES TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, PREVENT AND RESPOND TO HIV. ENSURING THAT THE UNIQUE SOCIAL DETERMINANT-RELATED NEEDS OF THE WOMEN ARE MET, CHICAS INTERVENTIONS WILL BE DESIGNED, DEPLOYED AND A

VIA CARE CHICAS - VIA CARE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER'S CHICAS: MY LIFE, NUESTRO CAMINO PROGRAM IS AN INTEGRATED CULTURALLY COMPETENT TREATMENT RESPONSE TO SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS AND/OR CO-OCCURRING MENTAL DISORDERS (SUD/COD) AMONG UNDERSERVED HIGH-RISK LATINAS (HRL) IN AND AROUND EAST LOS ANGELES NEIGHBORHOODS WHO ARE AT RISK OR LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS. (LOS ANGELES COUNTY IS ONE OF THE LOCALITIES HARDEST HIT BY THE HIV EPIDEMIC IN THE U.S) THE GOALS OF CHICAS ARE: (1) TO IMPROVE HEALTH, FUNCTIONING, AND STABILITY OF HRL THROUGH COLLABORATIVE, COMPREHENSIVE, TRAUMA-INFORMED, AND RECOVERY-BASED CLINICAL AND PEER SUPPORT SERVICES THAT ADDRESS BEHAVIORAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH, AS WELL AS OTHER NEEDS DRIVEN BY SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH (SDOH) FACTORS; AND (2) TO REDUCE INFECTION AND TRANSMISSION RATES OF HIV AND VIRAL HEPATITIS (VH) AMONG HRL AND THEIR SEXUAL AND DRUG-USING PARTNERS. MORE THAN 50% OF CHICAS CLIENTS WILL BE JUSTICE-INVOLVED; 50% WILL BE IMMIGRANTS; 30% MONOLINGUAL SPANISH-SPEAKING; 5% TRANSGENDER OR NONBINARY; 20% LESBIAN OR BISEXUAL; 100% LOW-INCOME (UNDER 200% OF THE FPL); 25% UNHOUSED/HOUSING INSECURE; AND 20% WOMEN WHO INJECT DRUGS. HRL FROM EAST LA NEIGHBORHOODS EXPERIENCE DISPARITIES IN ACCESS, USE, AND OUTCOMES OF HEALTH CARE DUE TO A VARIETY OF SDOH FACTORS (E.G., HOUSING INSTABILITY, GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE, GANGS AND JUSTICE SYSTEM INVOLVEMENT, LANGUAGE, RACISM, IMMIGRATION STATUS, TRANS-/HOMOPHOBIA, STIGMA REGARDING SUD/COD AND HIV, THE CULTURE OF MACHISMO, ETC.). THERE IS A DEARTH OF CULTURALLY COMPETENT SUD/COD SERVICES INTEGRATED INTO PROGRAMS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF WOMEN IN THE CATCHMENT AREA, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND PTSD. OBJECTIVES INCLUDE SCREENING FOR SUD/COD AND HIV/VH AND LINKING IMMEDIATELY AND SUCCESSFULLY INTO CARE COORDINATION SERVICES; ENSURING HIGH RATES OF RETENTION IN THE SEEKING SAFETY EBP AND CLINICAL SERVICES TO ADDRESS PTSD AND SUBSTANCE MISUSE; IMPROVING LINKAGE TO HIV CARE, PREP UPTAKE, AND TREATMENT/MEDICATION ADHERENCE AMONG HRL; SUCCESSFULLY LINKING HRL TO A MEDICAL HOME; AND IMPROVING MENTAL HEALTH AND DECREASING SUBSTANCE MISUSE, THEREBY INCREASING FUNCTIONING, SELF-EFFICACY, SOCIAL CONNECTION/INCLUSION, AND A SENSE OF HOPE FOR PARTICIPANTS. A TOTAL OF 350 UNDUPLICATED HRL WILL BE SERVED (50 IN YEAR 1 AND 75 IN EACH SUBSEQUENT YEAR) THROUGH THIS GRANT. ADDITIONALLY, 1,400 HRL AND THEIR PARTNERS WILL BE SCREENED FOR HIV, 840 SCREENED FOR SUD/COD, 420 WILL BE ENROLLED IN SEEKING SAFETY, AND 420 WILL RECEIVE CASE MANAGEMENT AND/OR RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES.

FY 2021 ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC - PRIMARY CARE HIV PREVENTION

TCE-HIV: HIGH RISK POPULATIONS

YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULT ALLIANCE FOR STIS/HIV AND SUBSTANCE USE SERVICES

HEALTH CENTER CORONAVIRUS AID, RELIEF, AND ECONOMIC SECURITY (CARES) ACT FUNDING

HEALTH CENTER INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT

CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

CAPITAL ASSISTANCE FOR DISASTER RESPONSE AND RECOVERY EFFORTS

FY 2020 EXPANDING CAPACITY FOR CORONAVIRUS TESTING (ECT)

FY 2023 EXPANDING COVID-19 VACCINATION

RYAN WHITE TITLE III HIV CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING GRANTS - PROJECT TITLE: FY 25 PART C CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT – DENTAL EQUIPMENT, APPLICANT ORGANIZATION NAME: VIA CARE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, ADDRESS: 3601 E. 1ST STREET, LOS ANGELES, CA 90063, PROJECT DIRECTOR: HILDA HERNANDEZ, VOICE: 323.268.9191, FAX: 323.268.9119, HHERNANDEZ@VIACARELA.ORG, WEBSITE: WWW.VIACARELA.ORG, GRANT PROGRAM FUNDS REQUESTED: $150,000. VIA CARE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER (VIA CARE) IS A NETWORK OF 17 FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS. WE HAVE PROVIDED COMPREHENSIVE HIV CARE AND TREATMENT FOR 5 YEARS. WE ARE RESPECTFULLY REQUESTING AN AWARD FROM THE HIV/AIDS BUREAU’S RYAN WHITE HIV/AIDS PART C CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IN THE AMOUNT OF $150,000 FOR DENTAL EQUIPMENT FOR EXPANDING DENTAL SERVICE CAPACITY UNDER THE INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT CATEGORY OF THE GRANT PROGRAM. THE PROPOSED EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES TO BE PURCHASED TO EQUIP 3 DENTAL OPERATORIES AT OUR NEW HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER WILL SPECIFICALLY IMPROVE THE GAP IN RATES OF ACCESS TO ORAL HEALTH SERVICES FOR LOW-INCOME PLWH WHO ARE CURRENT OR FUTURE PATIENTS OF VIA CARE THIS PROJECT WILL BE LOCATED IN EAST LOS ANGELES, LOS ANGELES COUNTY, IN AN UNINCORPORATED HIGH-POVERTY NEIGHBORHOOD WHOSE POPULATION IS DISPROPORTIONATELY UNDERSERVED AND UN-/UNDERINSURED, AND EXPERIENCES SIGNIFICANTLY POORER HEALTH OUTCOMES OVERALL WHEN COMPARED STATEWIDE. IN 2018, LOS ANGELES (LA) COUNTY HAD THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF NEW DIAGNOSES OF ANY OF THE GEOGRAPHIC PRIORITY AREAS IN THE U.S., AND WAS HOME TO THE GREATEST NUMBER OF PLWH (APPROXIMATELY 58,000) OF ANY COUNTY.1 PLWH IN EAST LOS ANGELES REMAIN CRITICALLY UNDERSERVED, DESPITE EFFORTS OF VIA CARE’S AND OTHER LOCAL PROVIDERS, WITH ONLY ONE AGENCY CURRENTLY PROVIDING INTEGRATED HIV CLINICAL TREATMENT AND ORAL HEALTH CARE. THEY EXPERIENCE DISPROPORTIONATE RATES OF HOUSING INSECURITY, MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE MISUSE, AND OTHER SOCIOECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS TO CARE THAT IMPACT THEIR ABILITY TO STAY IN MEDICAL CARE, ADHERE TO ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY, AND PARTICIPATE IN OTHER CRITICAL SERVICES SUCH AS ORAL HEALTH CARE. INTENSIVE MEDICAL CARE MANAGEMENT ADDRESSES THEIR HEALTH CARE, PSYCHOSOCIAL, HOUSING, AND OTHER NEEDS; REDUCES BARRIERS; AND IMPROVES THEIR RETENTION IN CARE AND ADHERENCE TO ART, WHICH ARE CRITICAL TO ACHIEVING VIRAL LOAD SUPPRESSION. PARTICIPATION IN ORAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES IS CRITICAL FOR PLWH, BECAUSE OF THE PREVALENCE OF ORAL DISEASES THAT OFTEN INDICATE PROGRESSION OF HIV DISEASE AND HOW ORAL HEALTH PROBLEMS IMPACT PATIENTS’ ABILITY TO ADHERE TO THEIR HIV TREATMENT REGIMEN, THEREFORE INCREASING RISK OF DISEASE PROGRESSION AND UNDERMINING VIRAL SUPPRESSION. THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO ESTABLISH ORAL HEALTH CARE SERVICES FOR PLWH IN EAST LOS ANGELES THROUGH THE PURCHASE, PROMOTION, AND UTILIZATION OF NEW DENTAL EQUIPMENT. OBJECTIVES ARE TO INITIATE CULTURALLY COMPETENT DENTAL CARE FOR EAST LOS ANGELES PLWH THROUGH PURCHASE AND INSTALLATION OF NEW EQUIPMENT; PROVIDE DENTAL CARE FOR A MINIMUM OF 30 PLWH PRIORITIZING OUTREACH TO ENSURE UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS HAVE ACCESS TO SERVICES; AND ENSURE 90% OF DENTAL HIV PATIENTS ARE SATISFIED WITH THE CARE THEY RECEIVE. VIA CARE’S PATIENTS ARE SIGNIFICANTLY REPRESENTATIVE OF POPULATION GROUPS SEVERELY IMPACTED BY HIV/AIDS, NAMELY, YOUNG MEN OF COLOR WHO HAVE SEX WITH OTHER MEN, MSM, AND HETEROSEXUAL FEMALES. VIA CARE REQUESTS A FUNDING PREFERENCE, QUALIFICATION 2: UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS, WHICH DEMONSTRATES VIA CARE’S DEDICATION TO PROVIDING PRIMARY CARE SERVICES TO UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS WITH RESPECT TO HIV-RELATED HEALTH SERVICES.

RYAN WHITE TITLE III HIV CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING GRANTS

RYAN WHITE TITLE III HIV CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING GRANTS - TITLE: VIA CARE HIV/BH INTEGRATION PROJECT. ORGANIZATION: VIA CARE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER (VIA CARE), 507 S. ATLANTIC BLVD., LOS ANGELES, CA 90022, HTTPS://WWW.VIACARELA.ORG. PROJECT DIRECTOR: CESAR RESENDIZ, 323.268.9191, CRESENDIZ@VIACARELA.ORG. FUNDING PREFERENCE: QUALIFICATION 2–UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS. VIA CARE REQUESTS $150,000 FROM THE RYAN WHITE HIV/AIDS PART C CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM TO SUPPORT DIVERSIFYING AND EXPANDING OUR HIV SERVICE STRUCTURE AND IMPROVE INTEGRATION OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH (BH) SERVICES FOR PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV (PLWH). THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT—UNDER THE HIV CARE INNOVATION CATEGORY—IS TO ADVANCE HIV AND BH OUTCOMES FOR PLWH IN EAST LOS ANGELES THROUGH EXPANDED ACCESS TO BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION MEDICINE CARE IMPROVING THE HEALTH, FUNCTIONING AND STABILITY OF PLWH. VIA CARE IS A 14-SITE FQHC SYSTEM LOCATED WITHIN LA COUNTY’S SERVICE PLANNING AREA (SPA) 7, A LOW-INCOME AREA WHOSE POPULATION IS DISPROPORTIONATELY UNDERSERVED AND UNDERINSURED, AND EXPERIENCES SIGNIFICANTLY POORER HEALTH OUTCOMES THAN MUCH OF THE REST OF THE COUNTY. SPA 7 IS HOME TO APPROXIMATELY 4,500 PLWH. WITH A LINKAGE TO CARE RATE OF 79%, 71% FOR ENGAGED IN CARE, 50% RETAINED IN CARE, AND 64% ACHIEVING VIRAL SUPPRESSION, PLWH LIVING IN EAST LA, WHO ARE LATINO AND LOW-INCOME, ARE CONSIDERABLY UNDERSERVED DESPITE EFFORTS OF THE FEW HIV PROVIDERS IN THE AREA. WHILE VIA CARE’S OWN DATA FOR OUR PLWH PATIENTS SKEWS HIGHER, OUR INITIATION OF HIV CLINICAL SERVICES IS STILL RELATIVELY NEW (SINCE 2020) AND THERE IS MUCH WORK TO BE DONE TO “DE-SILO” THIS NEW SERVICE INTERNALLY. PARTICULARLY CRITICAL TO IMPROVING PERFORMANCE ON THESE MEASURES IS EXPANSION OF AND INCREASED ACCESS TO EXISTING CULTURALLY COMPETENT SERVICES THAT ADDRESS BH PROBLEMS. BASED ON CURRENT PATIENT ASSESSMENTS, 70% OF PLWH IN EAST LA HAVE REPORTED MODERATE TO SEVERE SYMPTOMS OF DEPRESSION OR ANXIETY AND 70% HAVE A DIAGNOSABLE SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER (SUD)—YET ONLY 12% HAVE BE EN LINKED TO BH CARE. OUR HIV/BH INTEGRATION PROJECT WILL CONSIST OF: (1) CONDUCTING START-UP ACTIVITIES NEEDED TO MORE EFFECTIVELY COORDINATE AND INTEGRATE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES WITH HIV PRIMARY CARE; (2) LAUNCHING A PILOT OF THE MODEL WE DEVELOP AND BEGINNING DATA COLLECTION, EVALUATION AND REPORTING ON MEASURES; (3) MONITORING OF PROGRESS AND SHARING OF PROJECT RESULTS WITH OTHER LOCAL ENTITIES INVESTED IN ADDRESSING THE HIV EPIDEMIC IN EAST LA COMMUNITIES AND BEYOND; AND (4) PRODUCING A SUSTAINABILITY PLAN FOR CONTINUITY OF HIV/BH CARE INTEGRATION. BY THE END OF THE PROJECT PERIOD, THESE EFFORTS WILL ALSO WILL HAVE FURTHER DEVELOPED THE HIV PROGRAMMATIC INFRASTRUCTURE WE ESTABLISHED, WILL HAVE DETERMINED RELIABLE BASELINE FIGURES FOR HHS COMMON HIV CORE INDICATORS—VIRAL LOAD SUPPRESSION, MEDICAL VISIT FREQUENCY, AND RETENTION IN CARE (RIC)—AND WILL HAVE PROCESSES IN PLACE TO BEGIN TO ASSESS AND IMPROVE PROGRESS ON THESE AND CRITICAL BH-RELATED MEASURES. VIA CARE’S HIV CARE INNOVATION ACTIVITIES WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE CULTURAL CHALLENGES PRESENTED (ESPECIALLY STIGMA WHEN ACCESSING EITHER HIV PRIMARY CARE, BH SERVICES, AND/OR ADDICTION MEDICINE CARE), WILL BE INTEGRATED SEAMLESSLY INTO CLINIC OPERATIONS, AND WILL WORK COHESIVELY WITH EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF UNDERSERVED LATINX PLWH AND SUBGROUPS WITH ELEVATED HIV RISK DUE TO UNTREATED MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUD AND OTHER SOCIOECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS TO CARE. A SPECIAL FOCUS OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE TO ENSURE THAT OUR SERVICES DIRECTLY ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF HIGH-RISK HETEROSEXUAL CIS- AND TRANSWOMEN, MANY OF WHOM HAVE EXPERIENCED GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE, AS WELL AS MSM, PWID, UNHOUSED AND REENTRY INDIVIDUALS—ALL IN THE CONTEXT OF ESTABLISHING A COORDINATED COMPREHENSIVE PRIMARY CARE/HIV HEALTH HOME IN THE COMMUNITY FOR PLWH—INCLUSIVE OF EASILY ACCESSIBLE BH CARE AND THAT ADDRESSES SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH IN ADDITION TO CLINICAL NEEDS.

RYAN WHITE TITLE III HIV CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING GRANTS - PROJECT TITLE: VIA CARE RAPID ART START, APPLICANT ORGANIZATION NAME: VIA CARE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, ADDRESS: 507 S. ATLANTIC BLVD., LOS ANGELES, CA 90022, HTTPS://WWW.VIACARELA.ORG, PROJECT DIRECTOR: MELISSA BERNABE, 323.268.9191 X 4033 (TEL), 323.262.6874 (FAX), MBERNABE@VIACARELA.ORG, GRANT PROGRAM FUNDS REQUESTED: $150,000, FUNDING PREFERENCE: QUALIFICATION 2 – UNDERSERVED POPULATION VIA CARE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER (VIA CARE) REQUESTS AN AWARD FROM THE HIV/AIDS BUREAU’S RYAN WHITE HIV/AIDS PART C CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM OF $150,000 TO SUPPORT THE AGENCY’S EFFORTS TO DIVERSIFY AND EXPAND ITS HIV/AIDS SERVICE STRUCTURE. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT—RAPID ART START—IS TO BUILD VIA CARE’S CAPACITY TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV (PLWH) IN EAST LOS ANGELES AND SURROUNDING NEIGHBORHOODS WHO ARE LINKED TO CARE AND PROVIDED ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY (ART) WITHIN A WEEK OF DIAGNOSIS. THE PROPOSED SET OF ACTIVITIES WILL BE A RAPID ART PROJECT UNDER THE HIV CARE INNOVATION CATEGORY AS OUTLINED BY HRSA. THIS PROJECT MARKS VIA CARE’S INITIATION OF PROVIDING HIV CLINICAL CARE INTERNALLY, AND WE ARE USING A RAPID ART MODEL AS THE STANDARD FOR PATIENT CARE FOR THOSE WHO TEST POSITIVE FOR HIV. VIA CARE IS AN 14-SITE SYSTEM OF FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS (FQHCS) LOCATED WITHIN LOS ANGELES COUNTY’S SERVICE PLANNING AREA (SPA) 7, A LOW-INCOME AREA WHOSE POPULATION IS DISPROPORTIONATELY UNDERSERVED AND UN-/UNDERINSURED, AND EXPERIENCES SIGNIFICANTLY POORER HEALTH OUTCOMES OVERALL THAN MUCH OF THE REST OF THE COUNTY. SPA 7 IS HOME TO 3,776 PLWH, NOT INCLUDING THE ESTIMATED 700 WHO DO NOT KNOW THEY ARE INFECTED. PLWH LIVING IN EAST LA, WHO ARE OVERWHELMINGLY LATINX AND LOW-INCOME, ARE CONSIDERABLY UNDERSERVED, DESPITE EFFORTS OF CURRENT HIV PROVIDERS OF WHICH THERE ARE FEW IN THE AREA. RAPID ART START WILL CONSIST OF: (1) CONDUCTING START-UP ACTIVITIES NEEDED TO ESTABLISH AND OPERATIONALIZE A COMPREHENSIVE, EVIDENCE-BASED RAPID ART PROGR AM; (2) LAUNCHING INTERNAL HIV CLINICAL CARE PILOTING A RAPID ART APPROACH AT 50% OF CLINIC SITES AND BEGINNING DATA COLLECTION, EVALUATION AND REPORTING ON MEASURES; (3) DEVELOPING AND LAUNCHING A SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING STRATEGY (SMMS) FOR HIV CARE AND RAPID ART START AT VIA CARE; AND (4) MONITORING OF PROGRESS AND SHARING OF PROJECT RESULTS WITH OTHER LOCAL ENTITIES INVESTED IN ADDRESSING THE HIV EPIDEMIC IN EAST LA COMMUNITIES. SYSTEMATIC AND COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICIES AND PROCEDURES AND TRAINING OF STAFF WILL UNDERPIN ACTIVITIES. BY THE END OF THE 12-MONTH PROJECT PERIOD, VIA CARE WILL HAVE FURTHER DEVELOPED THE HIV PROGRAMMATIC INFRASTRUCTURE IT ESTABLISHED WITH FY19 AND FY20 PART C FUNDS FOR HIV CASE FINDING ACTIVITIES, WILL HAVE DETERMINED A RELIABLE BASELINE FIGURE FOR HIV CARE CONTINUUM (HCC) MEASURES (INCLUDING TIME TO ART INITIATION) AND WILL HAVE PROCESSES IN PLACE TO BEGIN TO ASSESS AND IMPROVE PROGRESS THESE MEASURES. VIA CARE’S PROJECT ACTIVITIES WILL TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE CULTURAL CHALLENGES PRESENTED, WILL BE INTEGRATED SEAMLESSLY INTO CLINIC OPERATIONS, AND WILL WORK COHESIVELY WITH EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT MEET THE NEEDS OF UNDERSERVED LATINX PLWH AND SUBGROUPS WITH ELEVATED HIV RISK DUE TO FEAR OF DISCLOSING RISK BEHAVIORS, LACK OF RESOURCES, THE HIGH INCIDENCE OF HOMELESSNESS/HOUSING INSTABILITY AND UNTREATED MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS, AND OTHER SOCIOECONOMIC AND CULTURAL BARRIERS TO CARE. A SPECIAL FOCUS OF THIS PROJECT WILL BE TO ENSURE THAT OUR SERVICES DIRECTLY ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF HIGH-RISK HETEROSEXUAL WOMEN, MANY OF WHOM HAVE EXPERIENCED GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE (GBV), AS WELL AS MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN (MSM), PEOPLE WHO INJECT DRUGS (PWID), HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, AND PEOPLE EXITING THE LA COUNTY JAIL SYSTEM—ALL IN THE CONTEXT OF ESTABLISHING A COMPREHENSIVE PRIMARY CARE/HIV HEALTH HOME IN THE COMMUNITY FOR PLWH THAT ADDRESSES SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH (SDOH) IN A

RYAN WHITE TITLE III HIV CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING GRANTS

CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

RYAN WHITE TITLE III HIV CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT AND PLANNING GRANTS

FY 2020 CORONAVIRUS SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING FOR HEALTH CENTERS

FY 2023 BRIDGE ACCESS PROGRAM

TCE-HIV: HIGH RISK POPULATIONS

COMMUNITY PROJECT FUNDING/CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING - CONSTRUCTION - VIA CARE COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER (VIA CARE) IS A 14-SITE SYSTEM OF FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTERS (FQHCS). VIA CARE’S OVERALL GOAL WITH THIS VIA CARE COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH ACCESS PROJECT IS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO CARE FOR LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WITHIN THE CA-027 DISTRICT AND VIA CARE’S SERVICE AREA. FUNDS FROM THIS CONGRESSIONALLY DIRECTED SPENDING (CDS) WILL BE USED TO PURCHASE A BRAND NEW 26FT MEDICAL MOBILE CLINIC THAT WILL BE EQUIPPED WITH TWO PRIVATE EXAM ROOMS. THE PROPOSED PROJECT WILL SERVE THE GENERAL LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY LIVING WITHIN THE CA-027 DISTRICT AND SURROUNDING AREAS OF EAST LOS ANGELES. CA-027 RESIDENTS HAVE UNIQUE, DIVERSE DEMOGRAPHICS AND HEALTH CARE NEEDS. A MAJORITY OF RESIDENTS SPEAK A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH AT HOME, MAKING CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY APPROPRIATE CARE A MORE PRESSING NEED NOW THAN EVER BEFORE. RESIDENTS OF VIA CARE’S SERVICE AREA ALSO HAVE UNIQUE DEMOGRAPHICS IN THAT RESIDENTS ARE 89% LATINX, 6% ASIAN, 2% MORE THAN ONE RACE, AND 1% AFRICAN AMERICAN. FIFTY-FIVE PERCENT OF OUR SERVICE AREA RESIDENTS ARE CONSIDERED LOW-INCOME, AND 87% DO NOT SPEAK ENGLISH AT HOME. LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES THAT WE SERVE EXPERIENCE MANY BARRIERS TO ACCESSING QUALITY CARE AND OUR PROJECT AIMS TO ADDRESS THIS BY OVERCOMING A FEW OF THESE BARRIERS INCLUDING LACK OF TRANSPORTATION AND TIME. OUR MOBILE CLINIC WILL ENSURE THAT OUR MOST VULNERABLE, UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAVE ACCESS TO ESSENTIAL HEALTH SCREENINGS AND EDUCATION AND ADDITIONAL PREVENTATIVE CARE SERVICES, INCLUDING WELLNESS VISITS AND IMMUNIZATIONS.