Federal funding awarded on World AIDS Day
Congressman Brian Higgins on Friday announced $330,075 in federal funding for Erie County Medical Center. The grant, announced on World AIDS Day, is awarded through the Ryan White Outpatient Early Intervention Services Program under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
"We've come a long way in understanding, treating and helping people live full lives with HIV, thanks to investments made in programs across the nation and right here at ECMC in Western New York," Higgins said. "These resources support critical services at ECMC's clinic, which provides a continuum of care for patients."
"We greatly appreciate the support from Congressman Higgins in receiving these critically important federal funds," said Thomas J. Quatroche Jr., Ph.D., president and CEO, ECMC. "These monies from the Ryan White Outpatient Early Intervention Services Program enable us to meet the needs of the patients that seek our services and receive the care they deserve."
ECMC's HIV/AIDS and immunodeficiency services are the largest comprehensive care center of its kind in Western New York, and include an immunodeficiency clinic that is also a PCMH level 3 certified clinic. ECMC strives to meet the needs of people with HIV/AIDS, with physicians, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, nurses, case managers, nutritional consultants, drug counselors and mental health counselors on its staff, and also through partnerships with myriad community agencies. In providing care, the immunodeficiency services group aims to meet several important goals: improving quality of life for HIV-positive patients through early intervention and optimal care; providing HIV/AIDS clinical education and consultation to providers; offer advocacy and case management services for HIV/AIDS patients; and establish HIV prevention as a top priority.
The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, authorized by Congress in 1990, provides resources to communities and health providers throughout the nation toward the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS. Thanks to the Ryan White Program and the Minority AIDS Initiative, people with HIV are living longer than ever before. New HIV infections are down 35 percent since 2000, and AIDS-related deaths have decreased 48 percent since 2005.
Today, 36.7 million people around the world are living with HIV.
Dec. 1 is recognized as World AIDS Day to raise awareness of the fight against HIV/AIDS. The theme for World AIDS Day 2017 was "Increasing Impact through Transparency, Accountability, and Partnerships." For additional information and resources, visit
www.HIV.gov.
