HIV/AIDS Funding Remains Level in PA Budgets

The $27.3 billion state budget recently unveiled by Gov. Tom Corbett cuts spending for the Department of Health from $981 million this year to $953 million. Of that money, $3.63 million would be allocated to administrative and operational costs for HIV/AIDS care and $1.38 million for HIV/AIDS surveillance, representing level spending in both categories. The administrative and operational costs for AIDS health education would rise from $4.1 million to $4.36 million.

Overall funds allocated for grants would increase from $24,207,000 to $24,235,000. Grants for AIDS programs would fall from $7.38 million to $7.24 million, while money for HIV care and AIDS Drug Assistance Program rebates would hold steady at $12 million and $1.2 million, respectively. AIDS health education funding would drop from $1.64 million to $1.48 million. Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS would see an increase from $1.96 million to $2.29 million. Assistance for the homeless would decrease from $22.8 million to $22.6 million.

"The substance of this budget is built on four core principles: fiscal discipline, limited government, free enterprise, and reform," Corbett said. The state Legislature has until July 1 to approve the budget, which includes no tax increases and would reduce state spending by about 3.1 percent.

In Philadelphia, Mayor Michael Nutter's $3.45 billion budget includes small cuts for city health services and no tax increases. The plan allocates $355 million to the Office of Health and Opportunity. Of that, $125 million would go to public and behavioral health, down from $128 million this year. The state and federal governments typically provide a large portion of health funding.

City housing and homeless assistance would drop from $41 million to $38.9 million. Earlier this month, Nutter's budget address was interrupted by ACT UP members demanding that the City Council devote an additional $2 million to $4 million in housing funds for people with HIV/AIDS.

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.


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