County spends $5.2 million toward AIDS

Published June 29th, 2008

By John Johnston
Managing Editor

Palm Beach County commissioners have approved $5.2 million in AIDS related spending of Ryan White Part A HIV Emergency Relief Formula/Supplemental federal funds. 

Under the Ryan White program agreement, the Palm Beach County HIV Council has the sole responsibility of determining service priorities and then how much funding each priority receives. In turn, the county is responsible for selecting and contracting with the service providers, commissioners said. 

The funding itself is for HIV affected client services such as medical case management, medical care, oral health care and substance abuse treatment -- in the following amounts and to the following agencies:

• Health Care District of Palm Beach Co: $641,888, formula; $72,112, supplemental.

• Palm Beach County Health Department: $1,504,585, formula; $689,623, supplemental.

• Comprehensive AIDS Program, $1,187878, formula; $536,925, supplemental.

 Comprehensive Community Care Network, Inc, $392,173, formula; $91,850, supplemental.

• Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, Inc. Amendment No. 1 to increase formula funding by $54,214; a second amendment to decrease supplemental funding by $54,214.

The contracts listed complete the allocation of the total Ryan White money awarded to the county in this cycle --- $7,786,995, commissioners said, noting that the balance was awarded earlier this year.

Legal Aid Society contract funding was adjusted because more funds were allocated than actually awarded in the supplemental funding category, and formula funds were available to cover the adjustment, said commissioners.

Ryan White was a young man from Kokomo, Indiana who died from HIV complications when he was only 18. A hemophiliac, he became infected with HIV from a contaminated blood treatment – and in turn became a symbol for HIV/AIDS, after being expelled from school because of his infection.

Though doctors said he posed no risk to other students, AIDS was then poorly understood and when White tried to return to school, many parents and teachers in Kokomo tried to keep him out of school. A lengthy legal battle and media coverage of his struggle made White into a national celebrity and spokesman for AIDS research and public education.

Florida has the second highest number of AIDS cases in the nation.