HHS Announces More Than $68 Million For HIV Care for Women, Infants, Children, and Youth

On July 31, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), through the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), announced more than $68 million in Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funding to provide family-centered medical care and essential support services for women with low incomes, infants, children, and youth with HIV.

This announcement supports and advances the Biden Administration’s National HIV/AIDs Strategy.

HRSA Administrator Carole Johnson announced the awards during the latest state convening of HRSA’s Enhancing Maternal Health Initiative. July 31’s convening of Maryland community leaders, state and local health officials, and grant recipients, was held at Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. 

“HHS is committed to helping new moms and their babies stay healthy, so we are making vital health care services – including care for those living with HIV – available and accessible,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “The funding that HRSA is announcing today will provide resources to promote the health and well-being of women, infants, and children in communities across the country.”

A press release on the announcement says that “HRSA’s Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program provides a comprehensive system of HIV primary medical care, medication, and needed support services to more than 560,000 people with HIV who have low incomes. The program focuses on tailoring approaches to best meet people with HIV and their communities where they are and addressing factors, like access to food, childcare, housing, and transportation that directly affect the ability of patients to enter and stay in care. “

Further, “In 2022, more than 142,000 women received services from the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program—representing a quarter of all clients in the Program. Additionally, 89.9% of female clients receiving Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program medical care reached viral suppression—meaning they cannot sexually transmit HIV to other people and can live long, healthy lives. The science is clear that ‘undetectable = untransmittable,’ meaning that a fully suppressed and undetectable viral load prevents the transmission of HIV to others.”