WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Jim McGovern (MA-02) announced that $1.03 million has been awarded to the Family Health Center of Worcester and the University of Massachusetts Medical School by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) to provide core medical and support services to people living with HIV. The mission of the grant is to help local organizations provide comprehensive primary health care in outpatient settings to people living with HIV disease.
“In the last 25 years, the U.S. has significantly increased resources for HIV/AIDS prevention, care, treatment, and research. With today’s grants to the Family Health Center of Worcester and UMass Medical School, we are continuing that important work,” Congressman McGovern said. “This funding will make a tremendous difference for Massachusetts families impacted by HIV by providing the comprehensive health care and support they need. I am grateful to HHS Secretary Burwell for making this investment in our community and recognizing the Family Health Center of Worcester and UMass Medical School as leaders in health care helping Massachusetts families every day.”
“Family Health Center of Worcester’s Ryan White funded program supports the intensive medical case management team that makes our HIV program a success”, said Dr. Philip Bolduc, medical director of Family Health Center of Worcester’s HIV program. “Despite serving a patient population with significant substance abuse, mental health, and poverty-related challenges, 81 percent of our patients diagnosed with HIV are retained in care, on antiretroviral medications, and virally suppressed, far exceeding the national rate of 38% as reported by the Centers for Disease Control.”
The Family Health Center of Worcester (FHCW) will receive $541,951 and the University of Massachusetts Medical School will receive $483,959. The funding is part of more than $2.2 billion in Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program grants awarded in fiscal year (FY) 2015 to cities, states and local community-based organizations. This funding supports a coordinated and comprehensive system of care to ensure that more than half a million people living with and affected by HIV in the United States continue to have access to critical HIV health care, support services, and essential medications. Click here to learn more about FHCW’s work through this program.
For a full list of the FY 2015 Part C EIS awarded grants, visit http://1.usa.gov/1ZYqaSJ. For a list of the Part C Capacity Development award recipients, visit http://1.usa.gov/1hUC5ih.
Grant awards in FY 2015 also support cities, states, and communities to achieve the goals of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy: Updated to 2020, which was released in summer 2015. These include efforts to reduce new HIV infections, increase access to HIV care and improve health outcomes for people living with HIV infection, and reduce HIV-related disparities and health inequities. In addition, the updated Strategy cites the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program as a critical source of lifesaving care and treatment for those living with HIV.
To learn more about the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, visit hab.hrsa.gov. For more information about HIV/AIDS prevention, testing, treatment, and research, visit AIDS.gov.
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Press Release: Office of Congressman Jim McGovern
