What’s New
Friday is World AIDS Day. This commemoration that takes place on the 1st of December each year comes at a turning point in the ongoing narrative of HIV/AIDS. In September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that, for the first time in the four-decade history of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), individuals who take daily medication to suppress the virus have effectively no risk of sexually transmitting to an HIV-negative partner. Advocates believe this will bring a change in the perception of what it means to be HIV-positive and reduce barriers to getting tested and treated. Early stage HIV can be asymptomatic, and about 40% of new HIV infections come from people who don’t know they have HIV, including heterosexual men and women at increased risk and people who inject drugs. In rural areas, persons living with HIV/AIDS face additional barriers that limit access to testing, treatment and ongoing care. Earlier this year, the CDC issued a map showing that, while the majority of HIV diagnoses in the U.S. are in urban areas, there are parts of the country where the rates are surprisingly high for suburban and rural areas. These include the South, where 23% of new HIV diagnoses are suburban/rural, and the Midwest where 20% are urban/rural.
This week’s Funding section covers previously mentioned opportunities that are still open and may help providers with HIV/AIDS care in rural communities.
Funding Opportunities
Public Health Crisis Response – December 11. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is seeking applications from public health departments in tribal, state and local governments for cooperative agreements meant to enhance their ability to rapidly mobilize and respond to specific public health emergencies. These emergencies may include infectious disease outbreaks, pandemics, and other public health emergencies that exceed jurisdictional capacity and resources. Awardees would be approved but unfunded until a crisis occurs, enabling them to plan for emergency activation activities. Eligible applicants must have an existing capacity and infrastructure to provide the CDC’s 10 essential public health services, which include a process and protocol to reach rural or isolated populations.
New Geographic Service Areas for HIV Intervention – January 2. Current grantees and new organizations proposing services for People Living With HIV (PLWH) may apply for funding through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Part C Early Intervention Services (EIS) Program. The purpose of the EIS program is to provide comprehensive primary health care and support services in an outpatient setting for low income, uninsured, and underserved PLWH. Eligibility includes Rural Health Clinics and community-based organizations. Successful applicants will provide HIV testing, medical evaluation, counseling and treatment, among other services. For more information, contact Hanna Endale at hendale@hrsa.gov.
Continue reading “Announcements from the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy”