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AIDS United has awarded Christie’s
Place of San Diego a “Retention in Care” grant to help HIV-positive persons
stay in care. Christie’s Place will use the grant to address trauma as a part
of comprehensive retention services for women of color in San Diego, and will
strive toward sustainability as the United States moves to fully implement the
Affordable Care Act.
Christie’s Place is one of seven
organizations nationwide to receive the first Retention in Care grants, which
are funded through a $4 million investment by the MAC AIDS Fund and a special
partnership with AIDS United. These seven initial grants, which total $1
million in awarded funds, will help organizations identify and expand programs
that help keep HIV-positive people in care. Retention in care is crucial in the
continued fight against the disease. Michael Kaplan, AIDS United president and
CEO, stated that a study from the National Institutes of Health, called HPTN,
showed that early treatment of HIV-positive people can reduce sexual transmission
of HIV to uninfected partners by 96 percent. Even though early treatment holds
significant promise for community as well as individual prevention efforts, CDC
estimates that only 41 percent of HIV-positive persons in the United States are
retained in care. People in poverty are at the highest risk of dropping out of
care, according to Kaplan.
Nancy Mahon, MAC AIDS Fund global
executive director, declares, “At this pivotal time in the fight against
HIV/AIDS in the [United States], the MAC AIDS Fund’s Retention in Care
Initiative with AIDS United presents us with a unique opportunity to make a
meaningful difference for the people who need it most.” The first group of
Retention in Care grantees include: Christie's Place, San Diego, Calif.;
CitiWide Harm Reduction Program, Bronx, N.Y.; Institute for Public Health
Innovation/CommonHealth ACTION, Prince George’s County, Md.; AIDS Alabama,
Birmingham, Ala.; The Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia,
Charlottesville, Va.; The Open Door, Pittsburgh, Pa.; and the Mazzoni Center,
Philadelphia, Pa.
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.
TOGETHER WE REMAIN STRONG!
