By: Kaitlyn Davis—
Muncie, IN – Meridian Health Services has been awarded $100,000 in supplemental funds from The Ryan White Fund for its growing HIV program. Through this funding, care coordinators will be able to expand on the services currently being provided in Blackford, Delaware, Grant, Jay, and Randolph counties.
Meridan’s HIV Care Coordination program assists those living with HIV disease in a wide variety of health and social services, including medical, psychosocial, financial, and other supportive services as needed. These services are offered at no cost to the patient.
Often the trained care coordinators are the first referral a person newly diagnosed with HIV receive. Care coordinators assist clients with accessing health insurance, housing programs, mental health and substance abuse programs, community and government programs, such as Social Security, support groups, transportation, and more.
Meridian Health Services has also recently been awarded the Disease Intervention Specialist (DIS) grant from the Indiana State Department of Health. The DIS program’s mission is to intervene in the spread of sexually transmitted diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, and reduce the complications caused by these diseases. The DIS staff members are charged with providing screening for STDs, ensuring that treatment is provided for known cases of STDs, case follow-up, and education.
The DIS staff also provide prevention counseling to those who are impacted by STDs. Through this grant, Meridian Health Services will provide services for Decatur, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Henry, Randolph, Rush, Union, and Wayne counties.
About Meridian Health Services
Meridian Health Services is a regional, progressive healthcare organization specializing in “whole-person” health, integrating physical, mental and social well-being to help people achieve their optimum health. Meridian serves more than 40,000 patients in over 45 Indiana counties offering a wide spectrum of healthcare specialties including: primary medical care, pediatrics, inpatient/outpatient psychiatry, obstetrics/gynecology, addictions and recovery, senior health, children and family programming, behavioral health and human services.
