Ryan White CARE Act Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Tuesday, August 18, 2015 marked the 25th anniversary of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, the legislation that created the most comprehensive Federal program that provides services exclusively to people living with HIV.

On August 18, 1990, President Bush signed the groundbreaking Ryan White CARE Act that passed Congress with overwhelmingly bipartisan support. At the time the bill became law, more than 150,000 AIDS cases had been reported in the United States, and more than 100,000 of those people had died.

The law created what is known as the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. Funded at $2.32 billion in fiscal year 2015, the program works with cities, states, and local community-based organizations to support a coordinated and comprehensive system of care and treatment. More than 1.2 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV. The program serves more than 500,000 of those who do not have sufficient health care coverage or financial resources to manage the disease…(continue reading on the U.S. Health & Human Services website).

We at CiiTA would like to voice our continued support for the organizations that provide these much needed services despite funding and legislative challenges.