The LGBT Life Center and Minority AIDS Support Services (MASS) recently expressed opposition to the Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) recent decision to significantly reduce Ryan White Part B (RWB) funding and eliminate critical rebate grants for HIV services stating that “these abrupt actions jeopardize essential services for individuals living with HIV across the Commonwealth and undermine decades of progress in combating the HIV epidemic.”
“The Ryan White Part B program, including the associated rebate grant funding, serves as a vital safety net, supporting medical care coordination, housing, and transportation,” said Corey Mohr, LGBT Life Center Director of Communications. He noted that recent funding cuts of up to 47% for some organizations are dismantling that safety net, removing direct care and eliminating access.
MASS, a community-based HIV organization serving Eastern Virginia, reported that the organization lost more than $550,000 in annual funding as a result of these cuts. At the LGBT Life Center the impact has also been significant with over $200,000 in RWB funding lost on top of $400,000 in prevention funding eliminated by VDH in 2024.
“This funding loss comes at an especially dangerous time,” said Mohr. “The eastern region of Virginia—including Hampton Roads—has some of the highest rates of HIV and STIs in the state. With the previous cuts to prevention and testing services in a region already facing a disproportionate impact, it is not only reckless—it is dangerous.”
Some of the HIV services services lost include:
- Medical care for uninsured individuals living with HIV, previously supported by RWB funds, allowing the Center to quickly link newly diagnosed clients to same-day in-house care.
- The infrastructure to meet Virginia’s own rapid-start standards for HIV care, a critical component in improving individual health outcomes and preventing transmission.
- Medical case management staffing, which helps newly diagnosed individuals secure and maintain health insurance coverage and remain in long-term treatment, a vital component to viral suppression and health.
Mohr noted that in the past four weeks, the LGBT Life Center has identified five new HIV cases, including three uninsured clients who required immediate linkage to care. MASS reported three new HIV-diagnosed individuals and one person living with HIV return to care in the same time frame.
“These cuts are not just numbers on a spreadsheet; they represent real people—our neighbors, friends, and family members—who will suffer as a result,” said Stacie Walls, CEO of LGBT Life Center. “We are watching proven, lifesaving programs that we have built over the last 25 years be defunded with no plan to replace them, and we are deeply concerned for what this means for the future of HIV care in Virginia.
“The Trump administration’s proposed federal budget cuts to HIV programs—including the Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) initiative—further compound the harm,” she noted. “Together, these state and federal decisions represent a dangerous rollback of HIV & LGBTQ+ health protections and public health investments.”
Both organizations have urged VDH and state policymakers to reverse course and work with community-based organizations to restore sustainable, science-based funding for HIV prevention and care. The organizations also urged the City of Norfolk’s Ryan White Part A program to shift its underutilized funding to help fill the gap created by the state.
