Community Health System in Fresno is receiving $429,636 to expand HIV care services for women, infants, children, and youth as part of a $68 million national initiative by the Biden-Harris Administration. (GV Wire)
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Community Health System in Fresno has been awarded $429,636 to enhance access to HIV care for women, infants, children, and youth.
This funding is part of a broader $68 million initiative announced by the Biden-Harris Administration on Wednesday to improve HIV care nationwide.
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The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will distribute the funds through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. This program provides essential medical care and support services to over 560,000 low-income individuals with HIV.
HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra emphasized the importance of this funding, stating, “We are making vital health care services – including care for those living with HIV – available and accessible.”
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“This funding is such a positive step toward supporting more resources in the Central Valley where the incidence of HIV continues to increase due to limited prevention resources and access to care,” said Dr. Erica Kasper, Medical Director at Community’s Special Services Clinic and UCSF Clinical Professor of Infectious Disease. “For more than 20 years Community, in collaboration with UCSF Fresno Infectious Disease department, has provided family-centered medical care, case management and psychosocial services to more than 1,600 Central Valley patients annually living with HIV.
Program Focus on Food Access, Housing and More
In 2022, the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program served more than 142,000 women, accounting for a quarter of its clients. Nearly 90% of these women achieved viral suppression, indicating they cannot transmit HIV and can live long, healthy lives.
The program focuses on factors like food access, child care, housing, and transportation to ensure patients remain in care.
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This initiative aims to tackle maternal mortality and health disparities through partnerships with community organizations and health officials.
The $429,636 grant will support Community Health System in Fresno in delivering crucial HIV care services to underserved populations in the region.
