WASHINGTON, March 15 (UPI) -- The Department of Health and Human Services has announced that about $580 million in grants will help low-income urban HIV patients.
The funding will be used for primary care and support services in the major metropolitan areas hit hardest by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt said Tuesday.
The 51 grants are awarded under Title I of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act, also known as the CARE Act.
The grants include both formula and supplemental funds.
All of the eligible cities will receive formula funds based on the estimated number of people living with AIDS in the metropolitan area, and cities will compete for additional supplemental funds.
A portion of the grant awards will also fund the Minority AIDS Initiative to target care and services to minority populations.
Since fiscal year 2001 the federal government has spent more than $10.4 billion in total CARE Act funding to help more than 571,000 individuals access care and services each year. President Bush requested nearly $2.2 billion in fiscal year 2007 for the CARE Act, an increase of $95 million over FY 2006.
