A little about Ryan White and ADAP

The AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) is funded through federal monies that are distributed under Part B (formerly Title II) of the Ryan White AIDS Care Act, which was renewed (thankfully) and "modernized" in 2006. For more information about the RWACA, see the Health Resources and Services Administration's website at http://hab.hrsa.gov, and for specifics about the individual parts (formerly "titles"), see http://hab.hrsa.gov/aboutus.htm. Our clinic receives direct funding for our nurses to follow individual at-risk patients closely by phone, under Title II/Part B. If you have someone who needs a little more attention, ask someone about how to get them onto Title II.

Below is an email sent to the division by Rhonda Stephens, the clinic's financial counselor, back in March 2008:

Each year clients are notified with 2 letters from the state ADAP program and 2 letters from the ID clinic financial counselor regarding their renewal with the ADAP program.

The letters consist of advising the clients to renew their ADAP application prior to deadline, what to bring to an appointment of renewal and whom to contact with questions.

Clients are asked to bring documentation of income which may consist of W-2, tax returns, pay check stubs, and/or benefit statements. This information is needed for everyone in the household. If client is unemployed-no letter is needed stating who is supplying their financial support. If client is employed and is not receiving a pay check stub they may return a letter from their employer stating amount of income received either monthly or annually. If this information is not returned prior to ADAP deadline, they are contacted by the ID clinic financial counselor or the ID social worker. We have made repeated contact with clients either by phone or when they were in the clinic to obtain this information.

Clients are provided with a self addressed stamped envelope which is included with the reminder letters and/or given out at clinic appointment to return requested documentation. Clients are also advised they may fax the information to the ID clinic.

Some clients have chosen to have their applications completed by an outside agency, these clients are asked to provide the ID financial counselor or ID social worker with the contact name of the person or agency completing the application so that we may stay in contact and make sure the applications are completed prior to deadline.

When clients come to their appointments, they may sign the application but many of them have failed to bring the required documentation; therefore, the application is not complete. Clients are advised that with incomplete information, the application will be delayed and they stand to have a delay in getting medication for the upcoming months. We contact the clients to remind them that their ADAP benefits will run out. Many of the clients on the list have failed to return requested documentation of income.

There are times when these clients who needed to renew their ADAP benefit were missed during their clinic appointment. These clients may not have wanted to wait to see a counselor. Transportation may have been an issue. They may have forgotten to have asked to see a counselor or they may have had other appointments they needed to attend. These clients were also contacted by phone by the counselors in hopes of capturing them prior to ADAP deadline.

We use the help of the front desk staff and the nurses to assist in capturing the clients before leaving the clinic.

– Christopher Hurt