Bluegrass Care Clinic Awarded Funding for HIV/AIDS Care, Education

LEXINGTON, Ky. (Nov. 2, 2012) — The Bluegrass Care Clinic, part of the University of Kentucky Department of Infectious Disease, has recently received millions in funding to advance the care of individuals living with HIV/AIDS in Central and Eastern Kentucky.

The Bluegrass Care Clinic was one of 114 community-based organizations, university hospitals and health departments nationwide to be awarded Ryan White Part D funds to enhance the medical care of women, infant, children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS living within the clinic’s 63 county service area.

Under the direction of Dr. Alice C. Thornton, the Bluegrass Care Clinic provides a wide range of services to HIV-infected patients, including: HIV specialty care, primary medical care, medication adherence counseling, medical case management, mental health services and nutrition counseling.  The total award for the Part D grant is $1.2 million over a period of three years (2012-2015).

The clinic was also recently awarded approximately $1.3 million in Ryan White Part B funds from the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Department for Public Health, to provide medical case management and supportive services to individuals living with HIV/AIDS. The BCC is one of six sites across the state of Kentucky funded to provide a wide range of community-based medical and non-medical support services, including physical and mental health care, nutrition and transportation services.

The Part B program serves approximately 850 uninsured and underinsured patients living in 63 Central and Eastern Kentucky counties.

The clinic also receives Ryan White Part C funds in the amount of $699.932 annually from 2010-2015, for a total of $3.4 million over five years. The BCC receives approximately $2.5 million annually in Ryan White funds, making possible a wide array of programming necessary to serve patients.  The goal of the grant program is to fund agencies that can provide comprehensive HIV medical care services to vulnerable populations in areas of greatest need.  

"The Bluegrass Care Clinic's patient population has increased 120 percent since receiving Ryan White funding in 2002, adding an average of 120 patients per year to the practice," said Jana Collins, Bluegrass Care Clinic program coordinator.

Speaking of their experience in the Bluegrass Care Clinic, an unnamed patient said: "[My coordinator's] assistance has been immeasurable. She took care of all the paperwork…[she] made a point of checking in with me."

"In summary," continues the patient, "The program has placed no stress or anxiety on me….I am completely confident that [my coordinator] and the Care Coordinator Program [at Bluegrass Care Clinic] have my best interest at heart."

In addition, Takako Schaninger, an assistant professor in Infectious Disease,  has been awarded a three year grant, beginning in July 2012, to train, educate and mentor rural Kentucky health providers on treating HIV/AIDS, including co-infection with hepatitis and behavioral health concerns. The Southern Central AIDS Education Telehealth Training Center (SCAETTC) will use telehealth and teleconsultation to train and mentor providers. SCAETTC was awarded $250,000 2012, and will receive $200,000 each of the subsequent grant years.

MEDIA CONTACT: Allison Elliott, allison.elliott@uky.edu