Kansas City, Mo.-Area Ryan White CARE Act Funding Reduced by $454,000; Transportation, Outreach Services Cut
The Kansas City, Mo., metropolitan region this year will receive $454,000 less than last year in federal Ryan White CARE Act funding for services for low-income HIV-positive people, the Kansas City Star reports. In 2003, the number of HIV-positive people in the region increased by 138 to 4,346, with more than 1,500 eligible for care and services under the Ryan White CARE Act (Knox, Kansas City Star, 4/25). However, CARE Act funding amounts for eligible metropolitan areas are based on a formula using the estimated number of people living with AIDS -- not HIV -- in each metropolitan area (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 3/19/04). The funding cuts will reduce or eliminate many programs operated by the city's largest HIV/AIDS-related service providers, including the Kansas City Free Health Clinic and the Good Samaritan Project. The Kansas City Health Department and the Kansas City Eligible Metropolitan Area Comprehensive HIV Prevention and Care Planning Council on March 3 began holding meetings to decide which services will have to be reduced or eliminated at area clinics and care facilities. The council decided to cut funding for transportation services, treatment-adherence programs, community outreach, and utility or rent payment assistance, according to the Star. Jimmy Woodcock, director of development for the Good Samaritan Project, said that the group's emergency, transportation and outreach services will end next month. Kansas City Free Health Clinic Director Sheri Wood said the organization will not eliminate programs but that service reductions are "inevitable," according to the Star (Kansas City Star, 4/25).
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