The Family Health Centers Of Georgia Inc

HEALTH CENTER CLUSTER

GEORGIA FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES

GEORGIA FAMILY PLANNING SYSTEM

AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT FUNDING FOR HEALTH CENTERS

QUALITY IMPROVEMENT FUND - FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS OF GEORGIA (FHCGA), A FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER SERVING 19,529 PATIENTS ACROSS FULTON, CLAYTON, DOUGLAS, COBB, AND HENRY COUNTIES IN METROPOLITAN ATLANTA, PROPOSES THE INTEGRATED NDD DENTAL ACCESS INITIATIVE. THIS 24-MONTH, $2,000,000 PROJECT WILL INCREASE ACCESS TO PREVENTIVE AND RESTORATIVE DENTAL SERVICES AND IMPROVE ORAL HEALTH OUTCOMES FOR CHILDREN WITH NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISORDERS (NDDS), INCLUDING AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER, DOWN SYNDROME, CEREBRAL PALSY, AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES. FHCGA’S CY2025 DATA DOCUMENTS THE ACCESS GAP THIS INITIATIVE ADDRESSES: OF THE 803 CHILDREN IN FHCGA’S NDD REGISTRY, ONLY 105 (13.1 PERCENT) HAD A DENTAL VISIT IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS, AND 162 NDD DENTAL VISITS REPRESENTED JUST 7.9 PERCENT OF FHCGA’S 2,052 TOTAL PEDIATRIC DENTAL VISITS, DESPITE NDD CHILDREN COMPRISING 7.7 PERCENT OF THE PEDIATRIC PATIENT BASE. SCHEDULING DATA REVEALS A 36.5 PERCENT NO-SHOW RATE FOR NDD DENTAL APPOINTMENTS (93 MISSED OF 255 SCHEDULED), DRIVEN BY SENSORY, BEHAVIORAL, AND PREPARATION BARRIERS THAT STANDARD DENTAL ENVIRONMENTS ARE NOT DESIGNED TO ADDRESS. EVERY NDD CHILD WHO DOES COMPLETE A VISIT RECEIVES A TREATMENT PLAN NOTATION, BUT NO PLAN IS CURRENTLY TRACKED OR ACTIVELY MANAGED TO COMPLETION. THE INTEGRATED NDD DENTAL ACCESS INITIATIVE COMBINES NINE COMPLEMENTARY INNOVATIONS BUILT ON THE EVIDENCE-BASED SENSORY ADAPTED DENTAL ENVIRONMENT (SADE) MODEL: (1) A MULTI-DISTRICT SCHOOL-BASED NDD IDENTIFICATION AND REFERRAL PIPELINE THROUGH FHCGA’S SEVEN SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH CENTER SITES IN FULTON, CLAYTON, AND DOUGLAS COUNTY SCHOOLS; (2) INTEGRATED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PRE-PROCEDURE CONSULTATION EMBEDDED IN THE DENTAL APPOINTMENT; (3) A SENSORY-ADAPTED CLINICAL ENVIRONMENT WITH DIMMABLE LIGHTING, SOUND-DAMPENING, WEIGHTED ITEMS, CALMING DISPLAYS, AND NOISE-CANCELING HEADPHONES; (4) A PANORAMIC/CBCT IMAGING UNIT ELIMINATING INTRAORAL FILM PLACEMENT FOR CHILDREN WITH ORAL SENSORY SENSITIVITIES; (5) A STRUCTURED DESENSITIZATION VISIT PROTOCOL BASED ON THE NELSON ET AL. (2017) EVIDENCE THAT 77.4 PERCENT OF CHILDREN WITH AUTISM ACHIEVED A SUCCESSFUL DENTAL EXAMINATION WITHIN ONE TO TWO DESENSITIZATION VISITS; (6) TREATMENT PLAN NAVIGATION, A CHW-LED REGISTRY THAT ACTIVELY MANAGES EVERY NDD PATIENT FROM TREATMENT PLAN DEVELOPMENT THROUGH FOLLOW-UP COMPLETION; (7) THE NDD DENTAL CARE TRAINING PROGRAM TRAINING 30 STAFF ACROSS DENTAL, SCHOOL-BASED, AND PRIMARY CARE ROLES; (8) THE FAMILY VOICE AND EXPERIENCE FRAMEWORK INCORPORATING CAREGIVER INPUT INTO CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT; AND (9) ECLINICALWORKS DENTAL REPORTING AND SOFTWARE COMPONENTS FUNDED UNDER THIS AWARD TO BUILD THE MEASUREMENT INFRASTRUCTURE FOR TREATMENT PLAN TRACKING AND HRSA REQUIRED MEASURE 2 REPORTING. CONFIRMED CLINICAL PARTNER INTOWN PEDIATRIC BEHAVIORAL WELLNESS (IPBW), A PEDIATRIC BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PRACTICE SPECIALIZING IN CHILDREN WITH AUTISM, CEREBRAL PALSY, DOWN SYNDROME, AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, WILL SUPPORT REFERRAL COORDINATION, CLINICAL EXPERTISE SHARING, AND FAMILY EDUCATION. FHCGA WILL PARTNER WITH THE GEORGIA PRIMARY CARE ASSOCIATION (GPCA) TO DEVELOP AND DISSEMINATE AN INTEGRATED NDD DENTAL ACCESS REPLICATION TOOLKIT TO SISTER FQHCS ACROSS METROPOLITAN ATLANTA, ENABLING STATEWIDE REPLICATION THROUGH THE HEALTH CENTER PROGRAM. TARGET OUTCOMES BY END OF YEAR 2 INCLUDE INCREASING NDD DENTAL ACCESS FROM 13.1 PERCENT TO AT LEAST 33 PERCENT (APPROXIMATELY 265 CHILDREN), REDUCING THE NDD NO-SHOW RATE FROM 36.5 PERCENT TO 27 PERCENT OR BELOW, ACTIVELY MANAGING AT LEAST 90 PERCENT OF NDD TREATMENT PLANS THROUGH THE NAVIGATION REGISTRY, ACHIEVING FOLLOW-UP VISIT COMPLETION WITHIN 90 DAYS FOR AT LEAST 70 PERCENT OF PATIENTS, DELIVERING AT LEAST 100 DESENSITIZATION VISITS, GENERATING AT LEAST 150 SCHOOL-BASED REFERRALS, TRAINING 30 STAFF WITH DEMONSTRATED COMPETENCY GAINS, AND CODIFYING FIVE STANDARDIZED NDD DENTAL CARE PROTOCOLS INTO THE REPLICATION TOOLKIT FOR STATEWIDE DISSEMINATION.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND HIV PREVENTION NAVIGATOR PROGRAM FOR RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITIES - FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS OF GEORGIA, INC. (FHCGA) PROPOSES TO IMPLEMENT AN HIV PREVENTION NAVIGATOR PROJECT THAT WILL PROVIDE SUBSTANCE MISUSE AND HIV PREVENTION SERVICES TO RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITY MALES AT RISK FOR HIV/AIDS. THE GEOGRAPHIC CATCHMENT AREA FOR THIS PROJECT INCLUDES COBB, DEKALB, FULTON, AND GWINNETT COUNTIES, GA, THE FOUR GA COUNTIES HIT HARDEST BY THE HIV EPIDEMIC. PROJECT NAME. HIV PREVENTION NAVIGATOR PROGRAM FOR RACIAL/ETHNIC MINORITIES. POPULATIONS TO BE SERVED. THE TOTAL POPULATION OF THE 4-COUNTY CATCHMENT AREA IS 3,489,904, INCLUDING 33,642 PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV (PLWH). THE REGION IS 47.5% MALE, 38.1% BLACK, AND 12.4% HISPANIC; 27.8% OF ALL RESIDENTS LIVE ON INCOMES BELOW 200% FPG. HIV/AIDS INCIDENCE (37.6 PER 100,000) AND PREVALENCE (964 PER 100,000) ARE HIGHER THAN THE NATION (ACS, CENSUS BUREAU, 2016-20; HIV SURVEILLANCE SUMMARY 2020, GA DEPT. OF PUBLIC HEALTH). STRATEGIES/ INTERVENTIONS. THE PROJECT WILL UTILIZE A PATIENT NAVIGATOR/COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER (PREV-NAV/CHW) MODEL TO INCREASE CAPACITY TO PROVIDE SUBSTANCE MISUSE, HIV, AND HEPATITIS PREVENTION SERVICES AND MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION FOR POPULATIONS AT RISK FOR HIV/AIDS, WITH A FOCUS ON INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE LOW-INCOME, BLACK, HISPANIC, AND MSM. OPT-OUT TESTING FOR HIV AND HEPATITIS, AND IMPLEMENTATION OF COMMUNITY-BASED HIV RAPID TESTING, WILL INCREASE ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE SCREENING AND LINKAGE TO CARE. EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS INCLUDING PREPMATE AND COGNITIVE BASED THERAPY FOR SOCIAL ANXIETY & SEXUAL HEALTH (CBT-SASH) WILL BE IMPLEMENTED TO IMPROVE PREP RETENTION AND ADHERENCE, AND HIV PREVENTION. PROJECT GOALS & OBJECTIVES. GOAL 1: REDUCE HIV INFECTION & INCREASE PROTECTIVE FACTORS THROUGH EVIDENCE-BASED SUBSTANCE MISUSE AND HIV/HEP PREVENTION PROGRAMMING AMONG POPULATIONS AT RISK FOR HIV, WITH A FOCUS ON LOW-INCOME/BLACK/HISPANIC/MSM INDIVIDUALS. GOAL 2: REDUCE THE RISK OF HIV INFECTION & SPREAD THROUGH INCREASED ACCESS TO HIV/HEP TESTING & APPROPRIATE LINKAGE TO MEDICAL CARE FOR THOSE WHO TEST POSITIVE/PREP FOR THOSE WHO TEST NEGATIVE. OBJECTIVES: DELIVER SUBSTANCE MISUSE/HIV/HEP PREVENTION SERVICES AND MH PROMOTION, REACHING AT LEAST 1,000 PEOPLE THROUGH GROUP OR FACE-TO-FACE ENCOUNTERS BY THE END OF Y1, AND AT LEAST 1,500 ANNUALLY THEREAFTER. AT LEAST 50% OF CLIENTS RECEIVING SUBSTANCE MISUSE/HIV/HEP PREVENTION SERVICES AND MH PROMOTION SERVICES FROM THE PREV-NAV/CHWS WILL COMPLETE A REFERRAL TO SUPPORT SERVICES BY THE END OF Y1, INCREASING TO 85% BY 09/29/2027. IN Y1, AT LEAST 150 CLIENTS WILL ENROLL IN PREPMATE, INCREASING TO 300 ANNUALLY THEREAFTER. IN Y1, AT LEAST 50% OF CLIENTS RECEIVING CBT-SASH FROM THE BH-LCSW WILL COMPLETE THE 10-WEEK PROGRAM, INCREASING TO 75% BY 09/29/2027. BY 01/31/2023, ENSURE THAT AT LEAST 50% OF FHCGA PHYSICIANS AND ADVANCE PRACTICE CLINICIANS HAVE RECEIVED AT LEAST 1 EDUCATIONAL SESSION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF SCREENING FOR HIV/HEP AND APPROPRIATE REFERRALS TO CARE, INCREASING TO 90% BY 09/29/2025. BY 01/31/2023, INITIATE OPT-OUT HEP TESTING AND PREVENTION SERVICES IN COMMUNITY SETTINGS AND ONSITE AT FHCGA WITH STANDARDIZED CLINICAL PROCEDURES IN PLACE FOR REFERRALS. BY 01/31/2023, INITIATE RAPID HIV TESTING IN COMMUNITY SETTINGS WITH STANDARDIZED CLINICAL PROCEDURES IN PLACE FOR REFERRALS. BY 09/29/2027, INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE OF PTS 15-65 YEARS OF AGE WHO WERE TESTED FOR HIV FROM 51.4% (2021 BASELINE) TO 85%. BY 09/29/2027, SUSTAIN THE PERCENTAGE OF PTS WHOSE FIRST-EVER HIV DIAGNOSIS WAS MADE BY HEALTH CENTER PERSONNEL AND WHO WERE SEEN FOR FOLLOW-UP TREATMENT WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THAT FIRST-EVER DIAGNOSIS AT 100% (2021 BASELINE). THE PROJECT WILL SERVE 1,200 CLIENTS IN Y1; 2,000 IN Y2; 2,600 IN Y3; 3,200 IN Y4; AND 3,800 IN Y5; FOR 12,800 TOTAL OVER THE 5-YEAR PROJECT PERIOD.

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

HEALTH CENTER INFRASTRUCTURE SUPPORT

HEALTH CENTER PROGRAM SERVICE EXPANSION - SCHOOL BASED SERVICE SITES (SBSS)

GEORGIA FAMILY PLANNING SYSTEM TELEHEALTH PROJECT - FOUNDED IN 1975, THE FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS OF GEORGIA, INC. (FHCGA), A FEDERALLY QUALIFIED HEALTH CENTER (FQHC), HAS A RECORD OF NEARLY FIFTY YEARS OF PROVIDING HEALTH CARE ACCESS TO INDIVIDUALS FROM LOW-INCOME FAMILIES. IN 2014, FHCGA WAS AWARDED THE TITLE X GRANT TO IMPLEMENT A FAMILY PLANNING PROGRAM THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF GEORGIA (GA). THE GA TITLE X PROGRAM, BRANDED AS THE “GEORGIA FAMILY PLANNING SYSTEM” (GFPS), IS THE LARGEST AND MOST AMBITIOUS EFFORT IN THE NATION TO INTEGRATE TITLE X FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES INTO PRIMARY HEALTHCARE CENTERS. TO SUPPORT THE SUCCESSFUL INTEGRATION OF FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES INTO THE PRIMARY CARE MEDICAL HOME (PCMH) MODEL, FHCGA HAS BUILT ROBUST TRAINING, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND CONTINUOUS QUALITY IMPROVEMENT SYSTEMS. GFPS IS A DIVERSE NETWORK OF 28 SUB-RECIPIENT AGENCIES, INCLUDING 25 FQHCS, 1 HOSPITAL SYSTEM, AND 2 COMMUNITY-BASED NON-PROFIT HEALTH CENTERS, PROVIDING TITLE X FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES AT 178 SERVICE SITES AND 7 MOBILE UNITS SERVING THE ENTIRE STATE. IN 2020, THE GFPS PROVIDED TITLE X SERVICES TO 160,837 CLIENTS, AN INCREASE OF 11.3% SINCE 2018 (TITLE X FAMILY PLANNING ANNUAL REPORT [FPAR], FHCGA, 2018, 2020). IN 2020, FHCGA LAUNCHED A MOBILE HEALTH (MHEALTH) PROJECT TO IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY OF FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES USING MOBILE PHONES. FROM 4/2020 TO 3/31/2021, 56.7% (16/28) OF GFPS MEMBERS PROVIDED TELEHEALTH SERVICES, DOCUMENTING 6,159 TELEHEALTH VISITS IN FPAR 2020, 3% OF ALL FAMILY PLANNING VISITS. FHCGA IS REQUESTING FUNDING TO STRENGTHEN THE GFPS TELEHEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE, CREATING MORE EQUITABLE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE CLIENTS TO BENEFIT FROM FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES. THE OVERALL GOAL OF THE FHCGA TELEHEALTH PROJECT IS TO IMPLEMENT AN INNOVATIVE VIRTUAL CARE SYSTEM THAT INCREASES ACCESS TO TITLE X FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES FOR LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS IN 26 UNDERSERVED, OUTLYING GEORGIA COUNTIES. EXISTING TELEHEALTH PLATFORMS, INCLUDING THE EHR SYSTEMS AND THE MHEALTH APPLICATION ALREADY IN USE BY THE FQHCS, WILL BE LEVERAGED TO INCREASE TELEHEALTH VISITS. FOUR TELEHEALTH PROVIDER TEAMS WILL BE DEPLOYED IN THE NORTH, WEST CENTRAL, EAST CENTRAL, AND SOUTH SECTIONS OF THE STATE WITH A FOCUS ON ENGAGING POPULATIONS FROM RURAL, OUTLYING COUNTIES WITH LOW ENROLLMENT IN GFPS SERVICES. IN ADDITION TO FHCGA, THREE FQHC MEMBERS OF GFPS WHO ARE LOCATED IN THOSE REGIONS WILL LEAD LOCAL EFFORTS TO EXPAND TELEHEALTH SERVICES. THE GLOBAL PARTNERSHIP FOR TELEHEALTH (GPT) WILL BE ENGAGED TO PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING, ASSISTING PROJECT PARTNERS IN LEVERAGING TELEHEALTH TECHNOLOGIES TO IMPROVE ACCESS TO FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES FOR UNDERSERVED AND LOW RESOURCE COMMUNITIES. A COMPELLING OUTREACH AND ENGAGEMENT CAMPAIGN TARGETING 100,000 RESIDENTS WILL BE LAUNCHED WITH A SINGLE STATEWIDE PHONE NUMBER LINKING CLIENTS TO RESOURCES, INTAKE, AND APPOINTMENT SETTING FOR SYNCHRONOUS INTERACTIONS WITH THE DEDICATED TELEHEALTH FAMILY PLANNING PROVIDERS. A TELEHEALTH WORKGROUP WILL BE ORGANIZED TO HELP GUIDE AND PLAN THE PROJECT, INCLUDING DEVELOPMENT OF A TELEHEALTH OPERATIONALIZATION PLAN. STRONG TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE COMPONENTS, INCLUDING FOR BILLING AND REIMBURSEMENT OF TELEHEALTH VISITS, WILL HELP TO SUSTAIN THE PROJECT BEYOND THE ONE-YEAR PROJECT PERIOD AND SUPPORT THE SPREAD OF SUCCESSFUL TELEHEALTH STRATEGIES TO OTHER GFPS MEMBERS IN FUTURE YEARS. IN THE ONE-YEAR PROJECT PERIOD, FHCGA INTENDS TO ENGAGE AT LEAST 2,000 PATIENTS IN TELEHEALTH FAMILY PLANNING SERVICES, PROVIDING AT LEAST 6,000 TELEHEALTH ENCOUNTERS. TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WILL INCLUDE 31 TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES AND 36 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE OPPORTUNITIES.

FY 2020 EXPANDING CAPACITY FOR CORONAVIRUS TESTING (ECT)

FY 2023 EXPANDING COVID-19 VACCINATION

BUILDING THE HIV CLINIC OF THE FUTURE THROUGH INTEGRATED VIRTUAL SPECIALTY CARE - PURPOSE: FHCGA WILL ESTABLISH THE TELEHEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE, REMOTE CLINICAL ASSESSMENT CAPABILITY, AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY CLINICAL WORKFLOW NECESSARY TO DELIVER INTEGRATED VIRTUAL HIV SPECIALTY CARE TO LOW-INCOME PEOPLE WITH HIV.NEED: FHCGA SERVES 19,529 PATIENTS ACROSS FIVE GEORGIA COUNTIES, WITH HIV CASE MANAGEMENT IN ALL FOUR OF GEORGIA'S ENDING THE HIV EPIDEMIC (EHE) PRIORITY COUNTIES (COBB, DEKALB, FULTON, AND GWINNETT). SEVENTY-FIVE PERCENT OF FHCGA PATIENTS LIVE AT OR BELOW 100% OF THE FEDERAL POVERTY LEVEL. FULTON COUNTY IS 6TH NATIONALLY FOR NEW HIV DIAGNOSES AND ONLY ABOUT 60% OF PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV IN THE COUNTY ARE VIRALLY SUPPRESSED, COMPARED TO 91.4% OF RYAN WHITE PROGRAM PATIENTS NATIONALLY. LOW-INCOME PATIENTS FACE TRANSPORTATION, SCHEDULING, AND GEOGRAPHIC BARRIERS TO HIV SPECIALTY CONSULTATION, INTEGRATED BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, PHARMACY, NUTRITION, AND CASE MANAGEMENT.APPROACH: THE HIV CLINIC OF THE FUTURE IS A MULTIDISCIPLINARY VIRTUAL CARE MODEL ORGANIZED AROUND FOUR CONNECTED ENVIRONMENTS: (1) AN HIV VIRTUAL CARE COMMAND CENTER, (2) VIRTUAL HIV CARE STATIONS AT HIV CARE SITES, (3) VIRTUAL SPECIALTY CONSULTATION SUITES, AND (4) MOBILE HIV CONSULTATION STATIONS EXTENDING VIRTUAL CARE INTO OUTREACH SETTINGS. A MEDICAL ASSISTANT USES TYTOCARE REMOTE-EXAMINATION DEVICES DURING THE ENCOUNTER; FROM A SINGLE VISIT THE CARE TEAM IS EXTENDED IN REAL TIME BY AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST, BEHAVIORAL HEALTH, CLINICAL PHARMACY, NUTRITION, AND RYAN WHITE CASE MANAGEMENT.POPULATION: LOW-INCOME PEOPLE WITH HIV IN FHCGA'S METROPOLITAN ATLANTA SERVICE AREA, INCLUDING POPULATIONS DISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECTED BY HIV.EXPECTED OUTCOMES: TELEHEALTH INFRASTRUCTURE OPERATIONAL AT HIV CARE SITES; APPROVED VIRTUAL SPECIALTY CONSULTATION PROTOCOL AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY WORKFLOW; TRAINED CLINICAL AND SUPPORT STAFF; INCREASED AVAILABILITY OF VIRTUAL HIV SPECIALTY CONSULTATION; DOCUMENTED IMPROVEMENTS IN ACCESS, RETENTION, AND CARE INTEGRATION; AND AN EVALUATION REPORT SUPPORTING CONTINUED USE OF THE MODEL.SUSTAINABILITY: EQUIPMENT REMAINS FHCGA PROPERTY. ONGOING TELEHEALTH ENCOUNTERS ARE REIMBURSABLE THROUGH GEORGIA MEDICAID, MEDICARE, AND GEORGIA COMMERCIAL PAYERS; 340B PRICING AND ENHANCED FQHC PPS REIMBURSEMENT SUPPORT ONGOING OPERATIONS WITHOUT ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDS.

FY 2023 BRIDGE ACCESS PROGRAM