Amidst the chaos and current political firestorm we are experiencing, funding cuts coming from all directions are the latest hurdle.

One area that has received numerous devastating blows is HIV-prevention efforts. In early March, the HIV Prevention Division of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) was slashed at the national level, having detrimental effects on both statewide and local prevention efforts.
 
Florida is a hotspot for HIV, ranking third in new diagnoses nationwide in 2022, according to the AIDSVu United States “Understanding the HIV Epidemic” map. Palm Beach County also ranks extremely high statewide. In 2023, the yearly report from the Florida Department of Health, indicating HIV cases in the state of Florida, showed that PBC ranked as the 4th highest county with the most Persons With HIV (PWH). 
 
At Compass LGBTQ+ Community Center, located in Lake Worth Beach, HIV prevention is an integral part of what we do. We provide free HIV rapid testing and direct linkage to care, as well as free sexual-health education and resources like condoms, lube, and Plan B. These life-saving services have a very positive impact on our local community. 
 
In 2024, we completed 749 rapid HIV tests at the center and local events in the community. We also served 400 people in case-management services, who were already living with HIV/AIDS. 87% of those were able to reach an undetectable status, meaning they can’t transmit HIV to their partners. Compass also distributed 129,126 condoms throughout the year. 
 
Compass has been hit hard by funding cuts; as a recipient of CDC funding for HIV testing and prevention efforts, we have lost our grant that allows us to do free rapid HIV testing, provide free condoms and lube, and other sexual-health resources to the community. With the confusion surrounding funding distributions and the language of new executive orders, we are still awaiting confirmation on how we will be able to continue prevention work. We will still be doing testing and providing services, but the coming months will see significant changes to how we do this — a lot of which is still unknown. 
 
A recent study published by the World Health Organization paints an alarming picture of what is to come. This lack of funding for prevention and testing efforts could lead to as many as 4.43 to 10.75 million new HIV infections worldwide by 2030, according to their report. The cuts were not just to prevention efforts, but vital research, including grant funding and clinical trials. 
 
Research already completed, including scientific papers and studies documenting the impact of HIV, particularly on marginalized communities like people of color and the LGBTQ+ community, was swiftly wiped off the CDC, National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and White House websites. Information like this is already incredibly inaccessible, and now it’s even harder to find. Knowledge is power; preventing people from freely educating themselves is incredibly dangerous.

Not only are these cuts impacting prevention, but care for people already living with HIV/AIDS as well. The Ryan White Care Act was enacted in 1990, after the shocking lack of support and minimal response from the government during the AIDS epidemic. It allows for funding for people living with HIV/AIDS, covering their medications, lab, and doctors’ visits. It also offers support with things like mental-health care, transportation, and housing assistance. All of these are vital resources that save the lives of people living with HIV/AIDS.

These new cuts would do things like eliminate dental services and other crucial support for PWH, and have devastating effects on the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). This means individuals living with HIV won’t have access to their life-saving medication, which is directly putting lives at risk. We saw what lack of government response, as well as fear and stigma, did during the height of the AIDS epidemic. Lately, it feels as though we are going backwards instead of forwards.

Local organizations, like Compass, are scrambling trying to recover funding and need support now more than ever. If you have the ability to, consider donating to or volunteering for an organization like Compass. Our commitment to our clients and our community is strong; we will be here, still providing services and care, as long as we possibly can.

Compass Website: compasslgbtq.com

Interested in volunteering? Contact us! 561-533-9699 

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