This announcement solicits applications for Fiscal Year 2016 Jurisdictional Approach to Curing Hepatitis C among HIV/HCV Coinfected People of Color – Jurisdictional Sites. This program will support up to two (2) Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) Part A current grant recipients and up to two (2)
credit:
RWHAP Part B current grant recipients to increase jurisdiction-level capacity to provide comprehensive screening, care, and treatment for hepatitis C (HCV) among HIV/HCV coinfected RWHAP clients and thus, increase numbers of HIV/HCV coinfected people who are diagnosed, treated, and cured of HCV infection. Recipients must demonstrate a high prevalence of HIV/HCV coinfection and will be selected based on their demonstrated ability to access HIV-infected populations that are also living with or at high risk for acquiring HCV infection, as described in Section III.
Eligibility Information. Cooperative agreement recipients will work in close collaboration with the Jurisdictional Approach to Curing Hepatitis C among HIV/HCV Coinfected People of Color – Evaluation and Technical Assistance Center (ETAC) to be funded under HRSA-16-18 8. During the initial six months of Year One (1), recipients shall complete a needs assessment to:
understand gaps and barriers in their existing HCV screening, care, and treatment systems of HIV/HCV coinfected persons of color, to include a thorough review of the jurisdiction’s HCV surveillance and epidemiology profile, as well as other available data for their jurisdiction; identify structural, financial, and client-level barriers to access of HCV-related services encountered by coinfected patients of color; and review State and local laws and policies, as well as third-party payer policies, regarding their coverage of the costs of HCV screening, treatment, and medication. Populations of interest include people of color living with HIV and high prevalence of HCV, including Black/African Americans, Latinos/as, American Indians/Alaska Natives, as well as people who inject drugs (PWID). In addition, men who have sex with men (MSM) remain at risk for incident HCV infection.
Using tools developed by the ETAC, recipients will conduct an assessment of HIV/HCV coinfected patient knowledge regarding HCV treatment to identify gaps to be addressed by implementing educational programs for consumers in their jurisdictions. Recipients will also conduct an assessment to identify knowledge gaps and training needs of health care providers regarding HCV screening and treatment in their jurisdictions to be addressed through training, technical assistance and capacity building. The surveillance and data assessment, patient knowledge assessment, and provider assessment must be completed in the first six months of the award.
By the end of the ninth month of Year 1, recipients will have developed a project implementation plan to enhance the jurisdiction’s public health infrastructure to rapidly expand HCV screening and treatment. The plan should clearly identify a comprehensive, jurisdiction-wide, centrally coordinated program that will result in increased screening, care, and treatment of HIV/HCV coinfected people of color. At a minimum, this plan shall include the following components:
(1) increased HCV screening among people of color living with HIV; (2) provider training on HCV prevention, care, and treatment for people of color living with HIV; (3) patient education on HCV prevention, care, and treatment; 4) clinical practice transformation to treat HCV among people of color living with HIV; (5) increased access for people of color living with HIV to care and treatment, including medications, for HCV; and (6) enhanced medication adherence support for HCV among HIV/HCV coinfected people of color.
In Year Two (2) and Year Three (3), recipients shall continue implementation of the plans to enhance the jurisdiction’s public health infrastructure to expand HCV screening, and care and treatment of the HIV/HCV coinfected patient.
At the end of the three-year project period, recipients are expected to have implemented effective, comprehensive jurisdiction-level HCV screening, care and treatment systems leading to demonstrable improvements in HCV care outcomes among HIV coinfected people.
Throughout the period of performance, recipients from this program announcement will work closely with the Jurisdictional Approach to Curing Hepatitis C among HIV/HCV Coinfected People of Color – Evaluation and Technical Assistance Center, funded under HRSA-16-188, which is being announced concurrently with this FOA, as well as with recipients from the Regional AIDS Education and Training Centers (AETC) program in their jurisdiction and the National AIDS Clinician Resource Center (NCRC).[1] [1] AIDS Education and Training Centers. http://hab.hrsa.gov/abouthab/partfeducation.html. Accessed 3/23/1 6.