HHS to Award $1.79 Billion to Help People Living with HIV/AIDS

Date: May 14, 2009
For Release: Immediately
Contact: HHS Press Office
(202) 690-6343

Headline: HHS to Award $1.79 Billion to Help People Living with
HIV/AIDS

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) today announced
the release of $1.79 billion to ensure that people living with HIV/AIDS
continue to have access to life-saving health care and medications. The
grants are funded through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, which helps
more than 529,000 individuals every year obtain the care and services
they need to live longer, healthier lives.

"These grants will provide state-of-the-art treatment for people
currently in care and critical services to newly diagnosed individuals
who are being brought into care," said Jeffrey S. Crowley, director of
the White House Office of National AIDS Policy. "The care and services
these grants will support can help Americans living with HIV/AIDS to
live longer, healthier lives."

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), an agency
within HHS, oversees the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, which provides
funding for health services for people who lack sufficient health care
coverage or financial resources to cope with HIV disease.

More than $1.16 billion will be sent to States and Territories under
Part B of the Ryan White program, with $780 million of that total
earmarked for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). Another $41
million in ADAP funds was distributed through competitive supplemental
grants. For a list of Part B awards, visit
http://newsroom.hrsa.gov/releases/2009/partb.htm.

A total of $590 million will pay for primary care and support services
for individuals living with HIV/AIDS under Part A of the Ryan White
program. Part A awards are distributed to eligible metropolitan areas
(EMAs) with the highest number of people living with HIV/AIDS and to
transitional grant areas (TGAs) experiencing increases in HIV/AIDS cases
and emerging care needs. The Part A awards do not include funds for the
Minority AIDS Initiative; those funds will be awarded in August. For a
list of Part A awards, visit:
http://newsroom.hrsa.gov/releases/2009/parta.htm.

Close to $49 million will fund early intervention services that support
medical, nutritional, psychosocial and other treatments for HIV-positive
individuals. These grants, awarded under Part C of the program, go to
community-based organizations such as health centers and nonprofit
providers of primary health care for people living with HIV. Part C
grants also may be used to hire case managers to help patients access
care and remain in treatment. Additional Part C grants were awarded in
January 2009; still more will be awarded this July. For a list of Part C
awards, visit http://newsroom.hrsa.gov/releases/2009/partc.htm.

Seventy-five percent of Part A, B and C funds must be spent on "core
medical services," which include outpatient health services, drug
assistance, health insurance payments and medical nutrition therapy. The
remaining 25 percent pays for support services that help people living
with HIV/AIDS achieve desired medical outcomes. These services include
respite care, medical transportation and linguistic services.


For information from about HIV/AIDS prevention, testing, treatment,
research, and use of new media in response to HIV/AIDS visit
www.AIDS.gov.



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