Transaction Description:
FY 2021 ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC - PRIMARY CARE HIV PREVENTION - FOUR OUT OF FIVE JUNIPER HEALTH, INC. (JHI) SERVICE AREA COUNTIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE CDC’S TOP 220 VULNERABLE COUNTIES DETERMINED TO BE AT-RISK OF HIV INFECTION OUTBREAKS. TWO ARE IN THE TOP 3. (HTTPS://WWW.CDC.GOV/PWID/VULNERABLE-COUNTIES-DATA.HTML) JHI IS A PRIVATE, NOT-FOR-PROFIT COMMUNITY CORPORATION THAT PROVIDES PRIMARY MEDICAL, DENTAL, AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES TO ITS TARGET POPULATION, WHICH INCLUDES ALL RESIDENTS OF BREATHITT, ELLIOTT, LEE, MORGAN, AND WOLFE COUNTIES, ALL OF WHICH ARE IN SOUTHEASTERN, APPALACHIAN KENTUCKY; ALL OF WHICH, EXCLUDING MORGAN, HAVE BEEN DETERMINED BY THE CDC TO BE AT HIGH RISK OF EXPERIENCING HIV OUTBREAKS. JHI PROPOSES TO USE HRSA-22-104 FUNDS TO SERVE THE POPULATION OF OUR ENTIRE SERVICE AREA, WITH PARTICULAR FOCUS ON ELLIOTT, LEE, BREATHITT, AND WOLFE COUNTIES, WHICH RANK 56TH, 30TH, 3RD, AND 1ST, RESPECTIVELY, ON THE CDC’S LIST OF THE TOP 220 VULNERABLE COUNTIES DETERMINED TO BE AT-RISK OF HIV INFECTION OUTBREAKS. JHI’S CURRENT SCOPE OF WORK INCLUDES THE DELIVERY OF PRIMARY AND PREVENTIVE MEDICAL AND DENTAL CARE, FULLY INTEGRATED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AND SOCIAL OUTREACH SERVICES, AND HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE EDUCATION. JHI WILL INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS COUNSELED AND TESTED FOR HIV, PRESCRIBED PREP, AND LINKED TO HIV CARE AND TREATMENT WITHIN 30 DAYS OF DIAGNOSIS, IF WARRANTED, BY EXPANDING AND ENHANCING ITS CURRENT WORKFORCE AND STRENGTHENING EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS WITH EXTERNAL ORGANIZATIONS. JHI PROPOSES TO HIRE A CLINICAL PHARMACIST AND A REGISTERED NURSE/CASE MANAGER TO ESTABLISH A TEAM WHICH WILL INCLUDE AN EXISTING MEDICAL PROVIDER AND BEHAVIORAL HEALTH CONSULTANT. THIS TEAM WILL PROVIDE PATIENT HIV TESTING AND PREVENTION EDUCATION AND COUNSELING, RESPOND TO PATIENT INQUIRIES/REQUESTS FOR PREP, WHILE MAKING INFORMED RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING SAFETY, EFFICACY, ACQUISITION, NECESSARY FOLLOW-UP HIV TESTING, ETC., ASSIST BOTH PATIENTS AND EACH OTHER WITH THE MANAGEMENT AND RESOLUTION OF PO TENTIAL BARRIERS, SCREEN FOR MENTAL HEALTH/SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROBLEMS AND LINK TO APPROPRIATE SPECIALTY CARE OR SUPPORT SERVICES, AS NECESSARY, AND PURSUE AVAILABLE SERVICES THAT CAN ASSIST PATIENTS WITH PAYING FOR THEIR MEDICATIONS WHEN FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES ARE IDENTIFIED. THIS TEAM WILL SERVE AS AN ENTRY POINT FOR EARLY TESTING FOR HIV BY RECOGNIZING RISK FACTORS AND SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS THEN RECOMMENDING TESTING FOLLOWED BY LINKAGE TO PREP, EDUCATION, AND LINKAGE TO HIV CARE AND TREATMENT, WHEN APPROPRIATE. JHI HAS THE CAPABILITY TO OFFER TELE-PREP SERVICES TO INCREASE MEDICATION ACCESS/ADHERENCE AND EMPLOY AN EXISTING MOBILE HEALTH UNIT TO EXPAND HIV OUTREACH, EDUCATION, AND TESTING BEYOND CLINIC WALLS. ADDITIONALLY, JHI WILL WORK TO ENHANCE CURRENT PARTNERSHIPS WITH LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENTS TO POTENTIALLY FACILITATE ACCESS FOR THOSE IN NEED OF HIV TESTING AND/OR PREP EDUCATION/PRESCRIBING. JHI INTENDS TO UTILIZE FUNDS TO COVER THE SALARY AND FRINGE BENEFIT COSTS OF THE CLINICAL PHARMACIST AND RN/CASE MANAGER, SUPPORT TRAINING AND ACCREDITED CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR PROVIDERS AND STAFF IN TAKING SEXUAL HEALTH HISTORIES, SUPPORTING PATIENTS’ BEHAVIOR CHANGES TO REDUCE RISK, MAXIMIZING THE SUCCESS OF PREP, IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE HIV PREVENTION INTERVENTIONS, HIV TESTING AND PATIENT NOTIFICATION GUIDELINES, AS WELL AS TRAINING THAT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSES STIGMA, TRAUMA, SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH (SDOH), PATIENT HEALTH LITERACY, AND FINANCIAL AND OTHER BARRIERS THAT MAY IMPEDE ACCESS TO NEEDED HIV PREVENTION SERVICES.
