In Southwest Virginia, just one organization still receives federal funding that helps marginalized and low-income HIV patients access basic needs like housing and food — supports that are critical for helping people stay on top of virus-suppressing medications.
An April reduction in federal funding meant that Virginia saw a 67% decrease in grant money for programs that help HIV patients, dropping from $29 million to $9.7 million in one year.
The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program is a federal fund, implemented by Congress in 1990, to help patients access important services and medications and to help educate the public on the disease. The available federal funding is split up into several parts, and Part B, which supports programs like housing assistance and dental care for low-income individuals, is no longer available in Virginia except to a handful of providers…