The Inland Empire Ryan White Medical Subspecialty Services Referral Program coordinates specialized outpatient medical care across San Bernadino and Riverside Counties. The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) helps facilitate advanced clinical care and pharmacy linkages for low-income, uninsured, and under-insured residents living with HIV.

Funding:
Grant Structure: The program is primarily funded by federal Ryan White Part A grants, which are specifically located to geographic metropolitan areas heavily impacted by the HIV epidemic.

State Supplementation: The program is supplemented by Ryan White Part B formula funds distributed through the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) Office of AIDS.

Administrative Oversight:
Lead Grant Administrator: The San Bernadino County Department of Public Health (DPH.SBcounty.gov serves as the primary administrative agent and fiscal manager for the region.

Network Operations: The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is the contracted network administrator for the county. They handle all utilization management, provider credentialing, medical oversight, and claims processing.

Regulatory Body:
Regional Jurisdiction: The program is governed collectively under the Inland Empire Transitional Grant Agree (TGA) which merges the jurisdictions of San Bernadino and Riverside Counties.

Community Council: Public oversight, service standards, and local resource allocations are regulated by the Inland Empire HIV Planning Council (IEHPC)

The Referral Loop:
Enrollment: You must be officially registered at an approved Inland Empire HIV care clinic (iehpc.com).

Initiation: Your primary care doctor identifies a complex, HIV-related health issue and creates a specialist referral request.

Matching: The clinic's staff submits the paperwork electronically using regional medical routing networks (like eConsultIE (arrowheadregional.org) to match you with an authorized AHF subspecialty network provider.

Hand-off: Once the specialist completes your diagnostic testing or outpatient procedure, your care loops right back to your primary clinic for everyday management and continuous prescription refills

Scope of Coverage
Inclusions: Funding covers outpatient subspecialty physician consultations, specialized diagnostic testing, and targeted therapeutic procedures that cannot be handled at a standard primary clinic.

Exclusions: The program strictly excludes acute emergency room services and inpatient hospital stays.

Condition Mandate: Every approved service must be explicitly linked to treating medical complications caused directly by, or resulting from, your HIV diagnosis.

Eligibility for the Inland Empire Ryan White Program is determined by three core requirements: a confirmed HIV diagnosis, local residency, and low-income status. Because the Ryan White Program acts as the "payer of last resort," you must also show that you are uninsured or under-insured.

Proof of HIV Status: Lab report showing a positive HIV viral load, Western Blot, or a signed medical diagnosis form from a licensed Physician

Proof of Residency:
A current California Drivers License or ID showing your local address.
A utility bill (gas, water, electric) issued in your name within the last 30-60 days.
A formal rental lease, mortgage statement, or official government mail.
A Declaration of Homelessness form or shelter verification letter if you lack permanent housing .

Proof of Income: The program targets low-income individuals who cannot otherwise afford specialized medical care. Case Managers evaluate your gross household income using the following:

Consecutive paycheck stubs covering the last month of employment.
Benefit award letters, such as Social Security or unemployment statements.
A signed Zero-income Affidavit if you do not currently have any source of revenue.
Screening records verifying that you do not have private insurance or full Medi-Cal coverage that already pays for these specific services.

Income limits in California: Your income cannot exceed the Federal Poverty Level (FPL) Percentage of 500% $79,800.

If you are already an enrolled patient at AHF Upland or AHF Riverside Healthcare Centers:

Talk to your Primary Care Provider (PCP): Share any new health complications or specialty needs during your regular checkup.

Let the clinic handle the paperwork: Your primary clinic’s referral coordinator will locate an approved specialist and secure the required county approval.

Keep your referral active: Schedule your appointment quickly once the clinic notifies you, as your approved referral paperwork has a strict expiration date.

Return to your AHF Healthcare Center: Go back to your PCP for all everyday health needs and your ongoing routine prescription refills.

What to expect for your referral timeline:
Review processing time: Most standard medical referrals are evaluated and approved by the county
utilization networks within 3 business days.

Urgent medical needs: If a condition threatens your immediate health, your primary care team can request an expedited same-day or next-day approval.

When to follow up: If you do not receive a call or text message with your specialist's details within 5 to 7 business days, reach out directly to yAHF Healthcare Center's Referral Coordinator.

If you are not yet a patient in this program and want to enroll in an AHF Healthcare Center in the Inland Empire:

Find a local HIV clinic: You must first enroll at an approved clinic in San Bernardino or Riverside County, such as AHF Healthcare Center Upland, AHF Healthcare Center Riverside.

Complete your enrollment packet: Meet with an intake worker or case manager to verify your income, local residency, and HIV-positive status.

See your Primary Care Provider (PCP): Schedule an appointment with your new PCP to evaluate your general health.

Wait for the specialist match: If you need advanced care, your primary clinic will submit electronic paperwork to secure an approved specialist for you.