CDC Awards $49 Million to Support HIV Prevention in the U.S.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today awarded $49

million to directly fund community-based organizations (CBOs) in a

nationwide effort to prevent HIV infection. One hundred forty-two CBOs

will receive awards averaging approximately $345,000. Awards will be

distributed July 1, 2004.

"Community-based organizations are critical to our efforts to reduce HIV

infections in the United States," said Dr. Robert Janssen, director of

CDC's HIV prevention programs. "We are proud to put HIV prevention

dollars in the hands of the local organizations that know best how to

address HIV/AIDS in their communities."

The awards support CDC's Advancing HIV Prevention Initiative, the

comprehensive strategy to reduce new HIV infections in the United

States, launched by CDC in 2003. Community-based organizations will use

the funds to implement HIV prevention interventions for people living

with HIV, their partners, and individuals at high risk for infection.

The funds will also support counseling, voluntary HIV testing and

referral services, and health education and risk reduction.

About 37 percent of the organizations receiving awards primarily target

men who have sex with men (MSM), 41 percent target heterosexual men and

women, and 22 percent target injection drug users. Many of the

organizations serve more than one population. A complete list of

organizations receiving awards accompanies this release.

People of color continue to be a high priority for CDC's HIV prevention

efforts. Of CBOs receiving funds this year, 82 percent conduct

prevention programs targeting African Americans, Asians and Pacific

Islanders, Latinos and American Indians - populations disproportionately

affected by HIV. The CBO awards follow the announcement in April of

CDC's capacity-building program awards. That effort provided $21 million

to 27 national, regional and local organizations to enhance HIV

prevention efforts in communities of color.

The CDC has directly funded local HIV prevention services since 1989. The

2004 community-based organization awards are part of CDC's $788 million

budget for domestic HIV prevention.

Through the "Advancing HIV Prevention Initiative," the CDC is working with

national and local partners to increase access to early diagnosis and

treatment through use of rapid HIV testing; to make HIV testing a

routine part of the medical care for high-risk individuals; to

strengthen HIV prevention services for people living with HIV; and to

further reduce the number of infants born with HIV infection.

Source: CDC