The Trump administration has redirected $46 million in grants previously awarded to community-based organizations that work on HIV prevention to state health departments.
HIV advocates warn of a possible rise in cases, particularly in states with high rates of new HIV infections like Florida, which ranks third in the nation after Washington, D.C., and Georgia. The change grant awards from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was announced in July and took effect Sept. 30.
In St. Petersburg and Tampa, the change means fewer people will get tested to prevent the spread of the HIV, said Joy Winheim, president of Empath Partners in Care, or EPIC.
"You take all of that testing away, and that could have a major impact on the HIV rates in Florida," said Winheim, whose organization faces a $445,000 loss.
The money helped EPIC do outreach in the African American community, with a focus on preventing the spread of HIV in heterosexual populations and getting people reduced-price access to preventative medication, known as preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
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Winheim said in the most recent year of the program, EPIC gave out 600 tests and detected 10 previously undiagnosed cases of HIV.
“That is a whole lot of work in our community that does not get done. Just because the funding's not there doesn't mean that the testing needs to stop,” said Winheim.
“It was HIV testing, PrEP referrals and making sure that we can connect those people that were the highest at risk to resources to either get on PrEP, or if they were HIV positive, then get them linked up into care.
It remains unclear how and how quickly the state will distribute the redirected dollars to the local organizations. The Trump administration has encouraged states to distribute some of the money to local groups, but they are no required to do so.
Winheim said she will not lay off staff, for now, and hopes that funding will make its way to EPIC.
“There's going to be a gap in funding. I don't know how long that gap is going to last,” Winheim said.
ALSO READ: CDC funding for HIV prevention shifted from providers to states under Trump
Other community-based organizations in Florida losing CDC grant money include Metro Health Communities (formerly Mentro Inclusive Health) in St. Petersburg; Latinos Salud Inc. in Wilton Manors; Borinquen Health Care Center Inc. in Miami; Basic NWFL Inc. in Panama City; Care Resource Community Health Centers Inc. in Miami; Orange Blossom Family Health in Orlando; Hope and Help Center of Central Florida Inc.in Winter Park; and Health Council of Southeast Florida in Palm Beach Gardens.
Congress has funded this work for years. This year, the White House Office of Management and Budget decided the money should go to the states instead, which came as “a shock to everyone,” according to Carl Schmid, who heads the HIV and Hepatitis Policy Institute.
"You have to fund those organizations that are closest to the communities that are most impacted by HIV, and yes, they are Latino groups, they are Black groups, they are gay groups,” Schmid said.
“To get HIV preventive services back on track, we're going to have to make sure that these community groups on the ground receive their funding,” he said.
The Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to a request for comment.
