AIDS CARE GROUP, Chester, PA
Project Title: Demonstration Model of Oral Health Care
Organizational Setting:
AIDS Care Group is a multi-service AIDS Service Organization that provides medical care, dental care, psychiatric care, nutrition counseling, HIV testing and counseling, adherence counseling, case management, housing, transportation, food distribution and congregate meals to over 1,164 people living with HIV.
Goals/Objectives:
To establish a satellite dental treatment center to provide comprehensive oral health care to 763 HIV-positive people living with HIV.
Geographic Setting:
Rural
Location:
Chester, Lancaster, and York counties in Pennsylvania
Target Population:
954 people living with HIV/AIDS in the surrounding counties, primarily adults from communities of color (35%, African-American, 25% Latino).
Program Intervention/Services:
The project will expand its services from the city of Chester to a new satellite dental treatment office for comprehensive oral health care services in Coatesville, Chester County. Clinical care services include all phases of dentistry except dentistry under general anesthesia. The project will coordinate oral health care into the overall medical and social service treatment plans of each individual patient. Transportation, food and congregate meals will be provided to patients for each visit. In addition, patients will receive an education session with each therapeutic visit to discuss adherence and prevention activities. A dentist will be on call daily.
Program Staff:
AIDS Care group dentists (three), dental assistant, auxiliary staff (program coordinator, appointments coordinator, van driver and peer counselor). The staff have bilingual capacity with Spanish.
Partners & Linkages to Medical Care:
AIDS Care Group is collaborating with four major providers of medical care and supportive services for people living with HIV in Lancaster, York, and Chester counties. Medical partners include a private infectious disease provider in Chester County and Lancaster General Hospital. Two partners, AIDS Community Alliance of South Central Pennsylvania and Gathering Place of Lancaster county, provide case management and supportive services to people living with HIV and will coordinate their consumers’ dental care with AIDS Care Group.
Consumer Involvement:
AIDS Care group has a Board of Directors in which 80% are consumers; board members participate in the strategic design of the project.
Contact Information
Name & Title:
Howell Ira Strauss, DMD, Executive Director, AIDS Care Group
Mailing Address:
2304 Edgmont Avenue
Chester, PA 19013
Email:[email protected]
Telephone:
610-389-2301
Fax:>
610-667-2380