An AIDS Drug Assistance Program, health insurance, medical case management: low-income people who access these and other county services will find that their critical needs are still met in 2011-2012. But a local council has denied funding for a psychosocial service program for women with HIV/AIDS.
These decisions are part of the Care Services Prioritization/Allocation Plan, approved in mid-June by the Seattle HIV/AIDS Planning Council. A local decision-making body, the council chooses how federal and state funds geared toward HIV/AIDS services are disseminated throughout King County. The upcoming 2011-2012 funding cycle presented the council with $5.8 million, a reduction of roughly $140,000 from the previous cycle.
Of high priority was support for a current drug-assistance program -- $289,000 -- and outpatient medical care -- $1.2 million. Health insurance received $250,000 in allocations, an investment in having everyone in the state with HIV/AIDS medically insured; over time, complete health care coverage would prove less expensive than providing just drug assistance. Medical case management received the largest allocation, with $1.5 million, though it still represents a minor deduction to that specific program.
But by far the largest cut will be endured by women living with HIV/AIDS who had made use of a one-on-one peer support program. Run by BABES Network-YWCA, that program lost 100 percent of its council funding, a total of $78,000. Even though council funds will dry up by March 2011, other funding streams will ensure BABES Network-YWCA remains open.
Jesse Chipps, who serves as the Planning Council Administrator, says that deciding how much to allocate to various core services didn't come easily. "The council made some painful cuts," says Chipps.
While the council's funding has remained close to level over the years, one important statistic has not, she says: the number of people living with HIV. "So we have fewer and fewer dollars to allocate," Chipps says.
Public Health estimates that 2,500 low-income people make use of the county's HIV/AIDS service. An estimated 7,000 people in King County live with HIV/AIDS.
*Correction: Article amended to reflect that BABES Network-YWCA will remain open in 2011.