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The Ryan White program has been present
at Augusta University for about 23 years.
This is a program that provides
care for HIV-infected individuals
without regard to where they live,
where they're from, even their citizenship.
It also provides drugs specific
for HIV problems, including antiretroviral drugs.
Our patients are largely,
but not exclusively, African American.
And many of them have inadequate support systems,
which frequently plays into why they were exposed
to the disease in the first place.
- So Ryan White was a 13 year old
who had a bleeding disorder,
and he underwent a blood transfusion
for treatment of that bleeding disorder.
During that blood transfusion, he contracted HIV.
So there was little known about HIV at that time,
except that it came with a negative connotation.
Thankfully Ryan went on to advocate
for those infected by HIV,
and out of that advocacy became the Ryan White Care Act,
which helps to fund this program
and those similar to it across the nation.
- Augusta University's Ryan White Program
is unique because we make sure the clients
are comfortable, we're available,
and any service that they're in need of, we find access.
We make sure the clients are their own advocates
and capable of doing what they need
to be successful in their care.
We collaborate with other agencies in the community,
and we attend health fairs.
When we attend health fairs,
we're allowed to do testing,
and the clients will then have access
to getting into care quicker.
- Well, my condition is totally undetectable.
I was diagnosed HIV positive back in 1999,
but due to the great meds that are out today
to help in the HIV virus, I am now undetectable.
The Ryan White Program has helped me immensely.
They pay for my meds every month,
which is not affordable out-of-pocket.
If it wasn't for the Ryan White Program,
there's no way I'd be able
to afford the medications that I am on.
And so thanks to the Ryan White Program,
I am able to get my meds on a regular basis,
and I want to thank the Ryan White family
for allowing this program to help us.
- Since the Ryan White Program was implemented in 1990,
it has helped me over the years in so many different ways
by it being a federally funded program
to disperse grants to those who
are infected with HIV and/or AIDS.
It's helped me in just getting housing, food,
mental, getting counseling, there are so many avenues
that it's helped me and my family.
- The program's most unique service
for our patients is probably
our immense attention to education.
Many of the folks who have the HIV infection have it,
in some part because they did not understand personal risk.
Sometimes this extends to not really
understanding the risk-benefits
of the medications that are used.
Therefore, we have put together a very comprehensive
patient education program that has been built squarely
on the experience of our patients who assist and counsel us,
providing ways to get to patients
that are difficult to reach.
- We are a part of a large, academic medical center,
and that inclusion allows us to also link our patients
to specialty care, family medicine,
OB/GYN, and psychology care.
Our psychology fellows are specially trained
in HIV mental health, and they are available
in clinic as the patients are being seen for medical care.
- The Augusta University Ryan White Outreach Program
has a website where members of the community can go to
to look up our testing calendar
and see where we'll be on any given day.
Also, we have a Facebook page where members
can see where our testing location will be
and they also can message us if they have any questions.
Our program reaches out to local health fairs,
Walgreens, housing authorities,
we will pop up at gas stations.
Because we have a mobile unit,
we can pretty much be anywhere, at any time.
- Our vision for the future of the Ryan White Program
at Augusta University doesn't just stem with us,
it stems from the vision of the patients.
The patients that have advocated for our clinic,
will often see that we want to become
a center of excellence, where the patients are proud
of the medical care that they've received.
They are proud of the clinic that they visit,
and they're proud of themselves for the accomplishments
that they had helped to bring about.
- It's been a lifesaver for me.
When I get my drugs every month,
I can't fathom where I would get
$5,000 a month to pay for drugs.
It just doesn't happen.
And the Ryan White and South Carolina DHEC
make sure that I get my drugs.
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