HHS Awards $21.5 Million to Develop HIV Prevention Methods, Provide Treatment for People With HIV/AIDS 9/30/2003
From: HRSA Press Office, 301-443-3376 WASHINGTON, Sept. 30 -- HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson today announced 58 grants totaling more than $21.5 million to develop, implement and evaluate HIV prevention approaches and provide treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS. "We have learned much about HIV/AIDS since the 1980s, but we still have a long way to go to prevent the spread of HIV and to ensure people in need get appropriate care," Secretary Thompson said. "Armed with the knowledge learned through these grants, we will be able to share best practices and improve care in communities across the country." Today's grants announcement includes: -- 27 grants totaling $10.9 million under the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act's Title III Early Intervention Services program to support outpatient HIV early intervention and primary care services for low-income, medically underserved people in existing primary care systems. -- Six grants totaling $2.15 million to support five Caribbean Peer Support Model demonstration sites and one Caribbean Evaluation and Support Center that will develop, implement and evaluate peer support interventions designed to help people from the Caribbean living in the U.S. who are HIV-positive. The grants will help patients understand the nature of their HIV infection and HIV treatment options, and obtain HIV medical and ancillary services when needed. -- 15 grants totaling $4.5 million to select, implement and evaluate behavioral interventions in primary care settings that are designed to reduce the risk of HIV-positive individuals transmitting HIV to others. -- 10 competitive continuation grants totaling $4 million to implement the outreach models designed to bring HIV-positive individuals into comprehensive, continuous care. The models were developed and evaluated during phase 1 of the Outreach for HIV-Positive Persons program. The behavioral intervention, outreach and Caribbean grants are funded under the CARE Act's Special Projects of National Significance Program, which supports the development of innovative HIV/AIDS service delivery models that have the potential for replication in other areas, locally and nationally. The SPNS program is considered the research and development arm of the Ryan White CARE Act. "Many communities continue to struggle to meet the health care needs of their residents living with HIV/AIDS," said Elizabeth M. Duke, administrator of HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration. "Today's Title III grants will help extend HIV counseling and testing, medical evaluation and outpatient clinical care to more of those who need these services." HRSA manages the grants through its HIV/AIDS Bureau. Since fiscal year 1991, Congress has appropriated $13.6 billion in CARE Act funding. Last year, Ryan White programs helped about 530,000 individuals access life-sustaining care and services. More information about Ryan White programs is available at http://hab.hrsa.gov/. A list of grant recipients is available at http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2003pres/20030930.html. ------ Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are available at http://www.hhs.gov/news. |