HHS Secretary Tommy G. Thompson announced more than $1 billion in grants to states and territories to provide medical care, support services and prescription drugs for people living with HIV/AIDS.

"The devastating toll of AIDS in America continues to grow. More than 500,000 have died since 1981, and about one quarter of the 850,000 to 900,000 Americans currently living with HIV don't know they are infected," Secretary Thompson said. "These grants will help us ensure that people with AIDS can get the care and services they need to stay healthy longer."

Today's fiscal year 2004 awards include $285 million in basic awards based on the number of people living with AIDS in each state or territory and $728 million for the purchase of medications through state-run AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs).

In addition, the award includes $7 million under the Minority AIDS Initiative and $10 million for states with "emerging communities" -- metropolitan areas with significant populations of people living with AIDS. An additional $21 million in grants for the Supplemental Drug Treatment Program will be awarded later. The grants are funded under Title II of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act.

"Each year, programs funded by the CARE Act help more than 530,000 individuals access life-sustaining care and services," said Elizabeth M. Duke, administrator of HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration. "Today's grants will extend the availability of needed medications to even more people living with HIV/AIDS."

Title II grants are awarded to every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, Federated States of Micronesia, Marshall Islands, Northern Mariana Islands, and Republic of Palau.

Basic grants are awarded based on the estimated number of people living with AIDS in a state or territory. Since fiscal year 1996, separate funds have been earmarked under Title II to help state ADAPs buy pharmaceuticals for people living with HIV/AIDS. States also may designate a portion of their Title II basic allotment to support ADAPs. The Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI) award is based on the number of minorities living with HIV/AIDS in the area over a two-year period. The emerging communities funds go to metropolitan areas that report between 500 and 1,999 cases of AIDS but did not receive Title I grants awarded last month. (A list of the Title I grantees is available at www.hhs.gov/news/press/2004pres/20040301a.html). Emerging communities funds are used to bolster HIV-related health care and services for these individuals.

Since fiscal year 2001, the Bush administration has spent more than $7.7 billion in CARE Act funding to help some 530,000 individuals access life-sustaining care and services each year. President Bush has requested nearly $2.1 billion in fiscal year 2005 for the CARE Act, an increase of more than $270 million since 2001.