San Diego County recently lost access to a significant sum of $1.6 million in federal funding aimed at providing vital medical services to low-income individuals living with HIV.
The funding, part of the Ryan White Program grants established in 2015, is critical for the county in delivering HIV care and treatment services. These grants are named after Ryan White, a teenage boy diagnosed with AIDS from a contaminated blood transfusion. However, an unexpected lack of spending resulted in the loss of these important funds, according to leaders of the San Diego HIV Community Planning Group.
During a meeting on June 25, a county official attributed the inability to utilize the funds to an unforeseen decrease in demand for services funded by the grants, alongside delays in contracts for temporary housing assistance.
Patrick Loose, who serves as chief of the county’s HIV, STD, and Hepatitis Branch of Public Health Services, explained that historically, as much as one-third of the costs associated with primary care are typically utilized in the last few months of the fiscal year. This year, however, that expected surge in spending did not occur, leaving the county surprised.
“What we have been able to determine is that many more clients than we anticipated received care through payer sources other than Ryan White,” Loose shared with inewsource, reflecting on the situation.
The members of the planning group were equally blindsided by the news of the unspent funds. Mikie Lochner, chairperson of the planning group, expressed her shock upon hearing that $1.5 million had remained unused.
“Immediately, we were like: ‘What went wrong?’” Lochner said in an interview
The planning group is tasked with dividing the grant money among various allowable services for people living with HIV. However, the county, rather than the planning group, handles the contracts and oversees the distribution of grant funds to contractors.
In November, the county had suggested that the planning group should reallocate funds to address accelerated spending in the primary care category. However, expenditures dwindled as fewer individuals sought primary care services through the grant program, leaving significant amounts unspent.
Due to the timing of the final spending reports, which are released after the grant cycle concludes, planning group officials based their forecasts for primary care spending on data from previous years rather than current demand.
This year marks a significant deviation from the past, as the unspent funds exceeded the $1 million mark for the first time. Typically, the planning group would expect around $700,000 to $800,000 in unspent funds annually, along with an expectation of about $380,000 in carry-over funds from the grant program.
In response to the unspent funds, the planning group has already filed a request to reclaim a portion of the grant money. Loose indicated that he anticipates approval for about $500,000 in the coming weeks, which could be utilized shortly thereafter.
It is important to note that over half of the untouched funds were earmarked for core medical services. This category encompasses HIV primary care, medical specialty consultations, testing, procedures, dental care, and mental health counseling.
A substantial amount, approximately $740,000, was intended for primary care, aimed at assisting individuals living with HIV in receiving necessary services from Ryan White medical providers located throughout the county.
Furthermore, around $223,000 had been designated for temporary housing assistance for low-income individuals living with HIV, specifically those earning less than $75,300 annually. The funding for housing assistance went unused despite the county identifying this support as a top unmet need for 2024.
A troubling statistic noted by the county revealed that unstable housing was the most common reason for survey respondents ceasing HIV medication for over six months.
“We know that the need didn’t change that much from prior years to this year,” highlighted Eva Matthews, a social service provider and a member of the planning group. She described the occurrence of unspent funds as an anomaly.
To qualify for the Ryan White funding, the county must demonstrate a local need for services. Recent statistics underscore this necessity, with at least 2,000 new AIDS cases reported in San Diego County over the last five years, alongside a total of 15,035 people currently living with HIV as of 2024.
Though the $1.6 million in unspent funding will revert to the federal government, the planning group remains hopeful as they await news on their upcoming grant amount in the next two weeks.
Loose stated that the county is exploring tools that could help better allocate resources based on anticipated needs, specifically the number of clients seeking services.
In light of recent cuts to other federal safety net programs, leaders of the planning group are preparing for an increase in individuals seeking assistance. Lochner emphasized the importance of making informed estimates, saying,
“We’re making the best estimates that we can, and hoping like heck that we’re making the right choice.”
image source from：inewsource
