Cross-posted from HRSA Newsroom

[Yesterday], the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) announced the award of nearly $99 million through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program to expand access to HIV care, treatment, medication and essential support services. This investment is a critical component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative. EHE aims to reduce the number of new HIV infections in the United States by at least 90 percent by 2030 with the goal of decreasing the number of new HIV infections to fewer than 3,000 per year.

"For three decades, HRSA's Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program has been a leader in the federal effort to end the HIV epidemic in the U.S.," said HRSA Acting Administrator Diana Espinosa. "Today's investment builds on the more than $2 billion in grants awarded through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program in fiscal year 2020, which helps to continue the program's incredible track record of viral suppression that saves lives, reduces health disparities and slows the spread of the virus."

Awards made to HRSA's Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program recipients will be used to continue to link people who are either newly diagnosed with HIV, or diagnosed but currently not in care, to essential HIV care, treatment, and support services, helping them reach viral suppression and reduce HIV transmission.

"The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program provides a comprehensive system of HIV primary medical care, medication and essential services to more than half a million people with diagnosed HIV in the United States each year,” said Laura Cheever, M.D., Sc.M., HRSA's HIV/AIDS Bureau's Associate Administrator. “The awards specifically support programs that play a critical role in communities hardest hit by the HIV epidemic to ensure that people have access to the life-saving medication and HIV care and treatment services they need."

HRSA awarded approximately $99 million to 61 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program recipients to link people with HIV to essential HIV care and treatment and support services, as well as to provide workforce training and technical assistance. This includes:

• More than $87 million to 39 metropolitan areas and eight states, which are Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Parts A and B jurisdictions, to enable recipients to implement strategies, interventions, approaches, and core medical and support services to reduce new HIV infections in the U.S.
• $3 million was awarded to 12 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part F AIDS Education and Training Centers Program recipients to provide workforce capacity development and technical assistance to the identified jurisdictions.
• $8 million was awarded to two organizations to provide technical assistance and systems coordination services to the 47 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Parts A and B jurisdictions, which received year two funding.

For a list of the fiscal year 2021 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Ending the HIV Epidemic award recipients, visit: https://hab.hrsa.gov/about-ryan-white-hivaids-program/fy2021-ending-hiv-epidemic-awards.

For more information about HRSA's role in the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative, visit: www.hrsa.gov/ending-hiv-epidemic.

For more information about HRSA's Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, visit: https://www.hab.hrsa.gov.

For more about the EHE initiative, visit: https://www.hiv.gov/federal-response/ending-the-hiv-epidemic/overview.