The Ryan White Program Part A. Background

Assignment 1

February 11, 2015
The Ryan White Program Part A.
Background
For individuals and families infected with the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, the extensive medical bills and treatment requirements become difficult to afford, manage, and find access to. In 2010 the average annual cost of HIV care was around $23,000, and lifetime treatment costs averaged around $370,000 (CDC.gov). When those infected come from a low-income situation, managing the disease requires financial, medical, and community support. Statistics show that Black and Hispanic populations have ten and seven times more HIV diagnoses that the white population, illustrating high demand for services focused on minority groups (mass.gov). There is a need for more access to HIV/AIDS assistance for low-income communities, including minority groups, in the Boston Eligible Metropolitan Area (EMA) and Transitional Grant Areas (TGA) that are highly affected by HIV.

Program Overview

The Ryan White Program Part A provides financial assistance to improve access to high-quality community-based health services for low-income individuals and families with HIV in the Boston eligible Metropolitan area and Transitional Grant Areas. The program began in 1990 as the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act, and underwent several amendments including the addition of the Minority Aids Initiative funding in 1999, targeting the Hispanic and African American communities in the EMA. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, and the HIV/AIDS Bureau oversees the program. The current program consists of Parts A through F, but part A provides the direct financial aid. The total grant award for 2014 was $14,322,315. The Boston Public Health Commission distributes the grant funds according to the established priorities of the HIV/AIDS Services Planning Council, appointed by the EMA’s CEO (“Ryan White HIV/AIDS Services”).

The EMA region consists of Bristol, Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth and Worcester counties in Massachusetts, and Hillsborough, Rockingham and Strafford counties in New Hampshire, and must include at least 2,000 aids cases in the past 5 years to qualify. By having these requirements for the eligible communities, the program can focus on assisting the areas that are in demand for more access to care. The short-term goal is to promote health and the long-term goal is to enhance the quality of life for HIV positive people (Client Services Handbook, 2014; HRSA.gov).

The MAI supports participants who have different cultural backgrounds or language barriers, ranging from African American and Latino, to Native American and Asian cultures. The agencies that are funded for the MAI services must be minority-based, opening up a level of comfort and community for these people infected with HIV, to serve social justice. The goals of the MAI are “to reduce health disparities among racial and ethnic minorities through outreach and education services and to strengthen the capacity of community based organizations serving people of color affected by HIV/AIDS,” (HRSA.gov). Due to the higher statistics of diagnosis in these minority groups, education and outreach for these communities will help prevent further spread of HIV and also decrease the numbers of deaths from AIDS related complications (Client Services Handbook, 2014).

Activities

The services provided range from housing to primary care. The AIDS Drug Assistance Program provides prescription pharmaceuticals for the prevention, management and treatment for individuals who are HIV positive. Home-delivered meals provide nutritionally appropriate foods, and there are also nutrition counseling services by registered dieticians. There are housing services either in a group home or on a site setting, and financial assistance for emergency house related expenses. The medical case management services link individuals with primary care and health support services, and the MAI medical case management services assist participants in accordance with their cultural and language barriers, using minority-based agencies. The other funded services include medical nutrition therapy, medical transportation, oral health care, peer support, psychosocial support (mental health and substance abuse), and substance abuse- residential services (Client Services Handbook, 2014).

The stakeholders in this project include the low-income communities in Boston’s EMA’s, including the African American and Hispanic minority groups. There are also the HIV positive peer support systems, which allow fellow HIV positive individuals to help those who need a support system that understands the physical and mental challenges associated with HIV. The program’s staff list includes administrative, client services, quality management, planning council support, fiscal, and data workers.