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Date: Thursday, Sept. 17, 1998 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: CDC Press Office (404) 639-3286
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced today
that an additional $4.9 million is being directed to supplement
existing FY 1998 departmental efforts to address HIV/AIDS prevention
and outreach services in racial and ethnic minority communities.
The funding will be used to support a variety of programs aimed
at reducing the spread of HIV/AIDS in minority communities, including
community-based prevention services, targeted HIV/AIDS outreach
services for African-American women already in a federally sponsored
prenatal care program, and a model program in Los Angeles County
that integrates HIV/AIDS-related health, substance abuse and other
services for racial and ethnic minorities.
"I am pleased to be able to announce these new grants as
part of our continuing response to the growing HIV/AIDS crisis
in communities of color," Secretary Donna E. Shalala said.
"HIV/AIDS is becoming more prevalent in racial and ethnic
minority communities, especially among African-Americans and Hispanics.
This is a severe, ongoing crisis that calls for a long-term response
that is comprehensive and sustained."
The bulk of the resources is coming from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention which is providing $3 million in fiscal
1998 funds for this effort including:
The remaining $1,875,000 of the funding is being provided by the
Health Resources and Services Administration, and will be used
in the following ways:
HHS has been working with the Congressional Black Caucus to expand
its ongoing dialogue with minority community leaders, community
representatives and AIDS activists to develop a sustained and
coordinated strategy to respond to the severe and ongoing HIV/AIDS
crisis in communities of color. Particular issues of concern have
been the need to mobilize effective prevention efforts in minority
communities and bring about equal benefits for minority populations
from available therapies. HHS is developing a set of immediate
strategic responses to support essential infrastructure capacity
within these communities. An announcement on these targeted strategies
is expected soon.
Under the Clinton Administration, HHS has increased overall funding
for HIV/AIDS related programs by 86 percent, and stepped up its
commitment to addressing the HIV/AIDS concerns of racial and ethnic
minority communities.
Already, a substantial portion of federal dollars are serving
racial and ethnic minority populations. For example, 63 percent
of participants in NIH-sponsored AIDS clinical trials are minorities,
of whom 40 percent are African-Americans and more than 20 percent
are Hispanic. Also, some 80 percent of clients of Title IV of
the Ryan White CARE Act are racial and ethnic minorities.
Earlier this year, the Clinton Administration unveiled the Initiative to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health. This $400 million initiative over five years gives special attention and resources to closing the gaps between African-Americans and other racial and ethnic minorities and white Americans in terms of HIV/AIDS and several other major illnesses. The goal is to close these gaps by the year 2010.
Note: Fact Sheets are available on HIV/AIDS and the African-American
and Hispanic populations. HHS press releases are available on the World Wide Web at: www.hhs.gov.