HRSA Announces $70M Grant Competition for HIV/AIDS Services for Women, Infants, Children and Youth

Last week, the HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB) of the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) issued a Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part D Grants for Coordinated HIV Services and Access to Research for Women, Infants, Children, and Youth (WICY). According to HRSA the entire $70 million Part D program is being re-competed through this FOA in order to respond to changing HIV epidemiology and better address the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) by providing comprehensive health care services for the WICY populations in areas of greatest need for services.

There have been changes in HIV epidemiologic trends in the United States over the past two decades. Effective antiretroviral (ARV) drugs for therapy and prophylaxis have been discovered and are widely available. Transmission of HIV from mother to infant has decreased tremendously with universal prenatal HIV testing and ARV prophylaxis. Today, children comprise only 1 percent of the HIV epidemic in the United States. Women, especially women of color, now comprise 28 percent of all people living with HIV in the United States. And among persons aged 13-29 years, it is estimated that HIV incidence has increased 21% in recent years—driven largely by increased incidence in young men who have sex with men (MSM), especially young black MSM. Ryan White-funded services should ensure that newly identified PLWH, especially young African American MSM are linked into healthcare, provided ARV medications, and retained in care.

The FOA solicits grant applications from organizations throughout the U.S. and its territories to provide family-centered primary medical care to women, infants, children, and youth living with HIV/AIDS when payments for such services are unavailable from other sources. Funding is intended to improve access to primary HIV medical care for HIV-infected women, infants, children, and youth through the provision of coordinated, comprehensive, culturally and linguistically competent services.

HRSA’s Associate Administrator for the HIV/AIDS Bureau, Dr. Deborah Parham Hopson provides an overview of the funding announcement in this video:Part D grantees are expected to provide HIV primary care, specialty medical care, and support services to the clients they serve. The FOA requires that, to the extent possible, program activities should strive to support the three primary goals of the NHAS. As encouraged by the NHAS, programs should seek opportunities to increase collaboration, efficiency, and innovation in the development of program activities to ensure success of the NHAS.

Grant applications are due March 16, 2012. HRSA estimates that approximately 200 awards will be made. Grant applicant technical assistance webinars are being provided. Visit the Target CenterExit Disclaimer for more information.

Visit HRSA’s web site for more information about the Funding Opportunity Announcement and the Part D Program.