Overview of Ryan White Act

Overview of Ryan White Act

First authorized in 1990, the Ryan White Act is the largest piece of federal legislation that offers funding for the care and treatment of persons living with HIV disease (PLWHD) who have no other source for care. Three main goals of the Ryan White Act are:

 To lessen the burden of treatment and care in areas most affected by HIV.  To foster a coordinated approach to core treatment and support of HIV services.  To build a community-based, strategic response to HIV by local organizations and advocates, as well as

local public entities.

The Ryan White Act is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB). Federal funds are awarded to agencies located around the country, which in turn deliver care to eligible individuals under funding categories called Parts, as outlined below.

The Ryan White legislation created a number of programs, called Parts, to meet the needs for different communities and populations affected by HIV/AIDS. Each is described below. Orange County receives funding from Ryan White Parts A, B, and C, as well as the Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI) to provide primary medical care and support services to HIV-positive individuals.

Part A provides emergency assistance to Eligible Metropolitan Areas (EMAs) and Transitional Grant Areas (TGAs) that are most severely affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The Orange County Health Care Agency (HCA) HIV Planning and Coordination Unit acts as Orange County’s grantee for these funds. The Orange

County HIV Planning Council acts as the planning body for Ryan White Part A funding.

Part B provides grants to all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and 5 U.S. Pacific Territories or Associated Jurisdictions. Orange County receives Ryan White Part B funds through the California Office of AIDS.

Part C provides comprehensive primary health care in an outpatient setting for people living with HIV disease. The HCA’s HIV Ambulatory Care Clinic (known as 17th Street Care) receives Part C funds directly from the federal government to provide outpatient ambulatory medical care.

Part D provides family-centered care involving outpatient ambulatory care for women, infants, children, and youth with HIV/AIDS. AltaMed Health Services received Part D Women, Infants, Children, and Youth (WICY) funds directly and provides a range of core and support services to the WICY population.

Part F provides funds for a variety of programs:

 The Special Projects of National Significance Program grants fund innovative models of care and

supports the development of effective delivery systems for HIV care.

 The AIDS Education and Training Centers Program (AETC) supports a network of 11 regional

centers and several National centers that conduct targeted, multidisciplinary education and training programs for health care providers treating people living with HIV/AIDS. The University of California, Irvine (UCI) coordinates AETC activities for Southern California.

 The Dental Programs provide additional funding for oral health care for people with HIV.  The Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI) provides funding to evaluate and address the disproportionate

impact of HIV/AIDS on African Americans and other minorities. Orange County receives MAI funds directly through the federal government.

Disease Control & Epidemiology Division HIV/AIDS Surveillance & Monitoring Program