Fulton County’s Ryan White Program Receives More Federal Dollars to Fight HIV/AIDS

More than a million more dollars headed to initiatives battling spread of disease in metro Atlanta

Fulton County has received a Fiscal Year 2016 grant of $25,023,768 in federal funding from the Health Resources and Services Administration of the US Department of Health and Human Services under the Ryan White Treatment Extension Act of 2009. The FY 2016 award of $25,023,768 represents a 5% increase over the FY 2015 of $23,778,777.  In 2015, the Ryan White Program expended 99.6% of its funding and served more than 14,000 people.

“Words can’t express how pleased I am to learn that the Ryan White program has received increased funding this year,” says Fulton County Board of Commissioners Chairman John H. Eaves.  “Every dollar we receive moves us a step forward in reducing new infections and improving the quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS.  I view the additional money as a sign that our program serving the 20-county metro Atlanta area is being recognized for the services it provides and the many lives it touches every day.”

“The community has prioritized these funds to support navigators to help people with HIV enroll in health insurance and also to support rapid entry programs to help people enroll in care more quickly,” says Jeff Cheek, Director of the Ryan White Program. “The goal is to reduce the time for a new appointment from two to six weeks down to 3 days. Our clinics are responding to the HIV epidemic in Atlanta with a renewed sense of urgency.”

Fulton County administers Atlanta’s Ryan White Part A grant for the 20-county area which includes: Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Cherokee, Clayton, Cobb, Coweta, DeKalb, Douglas, Fayette, Forsyth, Fulton, Gwinnett, Henry, Newton, Paulding, Pickens, Rockdale, Spalding and Walton Counties.  Part A funds support clients as they progress through the HIV care continuum and include core medical and essential support services with a strong focus on HIV treatment.

Atlanta’s Ryan White Program works to improve the availability and quality of care for low-income, uninsured, or underinsured people living with HIV.  The ultimate goal of HIV treatment is to achieve viral suppression, meaning the amount of HIV in the body is very low or undetectable. This is important for people with HIV to stay healthy, live longer, and reduce their chances of passing HIV to others. 

Futon County Ryan White Website: http://ryanwhiteatl.org.

For more information, visit Fulton County’s website at www.fultoncountyga.gov or connect with Fulton County government on Twitter at @FultonInfo or Facebook at @fultoninfo.