HHS Improves HIV/AIDS Care, Support, Access With More Than $2 Billion in Grants

The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in collaboration with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), announced $2.24 billion in Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program grants awarded to cities, counties, states, and local community-based organizations.

“HRSA’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program plays a pivotal role in improving health outcomes for Americans with HIV and has helped lay the groundwork for our initiative to end the HIV epidemic by 2030,” said HHS Secretary Alex Azar in a press release. “More than $2 billion in grants through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program in 2020 are helping to continue the program’s incredible track record of viral suppression that saves lives, keeps communities healthy, and slows the spread of the virus.”

The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program—which serves an estimated 50% of all people living with HIV/AIDS—has successfully provided care and HIV treatment services to the most vulnerable populations, particularly those in low-income situations.

“In 2018, approximately 87.1% of Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program clients who received HIV medical care were virally suppressed, up from 69.5% in 2010,” stated HHS is a press release.

The program is broken down into several sections which each received portions of the grants for different purposes, catered to the community. Breakdown of the funding awarded is as follows:

• Under Part A: ~$626.9 million to 52 metropolitan areas to provide core medical and support services for people with HIV.
• Under Part B: ~$1.3 billion to 59 states and territories to improve the quality, availability and organization of HIV health care and support services and for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. An additional $10.3 million was awarded in Part B Minority AIDS Initiative Grants.
• Under Part C: ~$179.8 million to 347 local, community-based organizations across the United States. Additionally, 58 organizations were awarded approximately $7.9 million in Part C Capacity Development grants.
• Under Part D: ~$69.8 million went to 115 community-based family-centered organizations to improve care and treatment for women, infants, children, and youth with HIV.
• Under Part F: ~$68.1 million was awarded to support clinical training, oral health services, quality improvement, and the development of innovative models of care through several different programs. Approximately $9.1 million was awarded to 49 recipients through the Dental Reimbursement Program, and ~$3.5 million was awarded to 12 recipients through the Community-Based Dental Partnership Program. An additional approximate $30.5 million was awarded to support the education and training of health care professionals.

Through a special projects fund, also under Part F of the program, $25 million was awarded for new initiatives, including the development of innovative models of care, and informing evidence-based interventions for populations with HIV who are significantly difficult to engage, retain in care, and reach, and sustain viral suppression with antiretroviral therapy.

“These grants will help ensure that Americans with HIV/AIDS have access to life-saving care and treatment needed to improve their health outcomes and to reduce HIV transmission,” said Tom Engels, administrator of the HRSA. —Edan Stanley