Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Implementation for HIV Clinical Quality Improvement

This notice announces the opportunity to apply for funding under the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Implementation for HIV Clinical Quality Improvement. The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) is accepting applications for the fiscal year (FY) 2024 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) Implementation for HIV Clinical Quality Improvement program. The purpose of this program is to provide RWHAP Part A through D recipients with training and technical assistance (T/TA) to implement quality improvement methodologies and concepts with an emphasis on skills development and implementing sustainable quality improvement activities for RWHAP Part A through D recipients with little or no experience in quality improvement. The activities outlined in this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) align with the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program statute and HRSA HAB Clinical Quality Management (CQM) Policy Clarification Notice 15-02 (PCN 15-02). Specifically, PCN 15-02 clarifies that CQM programs consist of three components: infrastructure, performance measurement, and quality improvement. This cooperative agreement will address the quality improvement component. The RWHAP Implementation for HIV Clinical Quality Improvement program will provide T/TA to RWHAP Part A through D recipients to accomplish the following project objectives: • Strengthen RWHAP Part A through D recipients’ understanding and skills of quality improvement principles, methodologies, tools, and techniques; • Develop and disseminate quality improvement resources that help RWHAP Part A through D recipients to design, implement, document, and monitor quality improvement activities; • Promote the sustainable adoption and implementation of quality improvement methodologies, tools, and techniques; and • Implement project activities in alignment with RWHAP statute, HRSA HAB CQM Policy Clarification Notice 15-02, and other HRSA HAB policy notices and program letters. This program should aim to address the quality improvement requirements: o Utilization of a defined approach or methodology (e.g., model for improvement, Lean) to implement quality improvement activities; o Implementation of quality improvement activities in an organized, systematic fashion; o Quantification of results showing impact on health outcomes; o Documentation of all quality improvement activities; and o Inclusion of quality improvement activities within at least one funded service category at any given time. The RWHAP Implementation for HIV Clinical Quality Improvement T/TA should address the needs and structures of RWHAP Part A through D recipients. The activities of this initiative should provide T/TA that addresses the development, implementation, and sustainability of quality improvement activities for recipients with a network of contracted organizations as well as recipients who provide direct services. The successful implementation of a CQM program, including quality improvement activities, requires an understanding of the RWHAP overall, as well its policy clarification notices (Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Services: Eligible Individuals and Allowable Uses of Funds PCN 16-02; CQM PCN 15-02); and quality improvement methodologies, tools, and techniques. In designing T/TA, the recipient of this cooperative agreement should consider the challenges faced by RWHAP Part A through D recipients and subrecipients related to health disparities in HIV outcomes for key populations identified in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS 2022-2025) and the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the U.S. initiative. Performance measure data guides and informs the development, implementation, monitoring, and sustainability of quality improvement activities. HRSA encourages recipients to use the performance measures developed for the RWHAP at the local level to assess the efficacy of their programs and to analyze and improve the gaps along the HIV care continuum.