Kansas City cuts AIDS services due to reduced federal funding

A $454,000 cut in federal Ryan White funding to the Kansas City, Mo., area has forced health officials to cut several programs offering services to HIV-positive people, including transportation services, treatment-adherence programs, community outreach, and utility and rent assistance programs, the Kansas City Star reports. Funding was cut to the region because of a decline in AIDS cases, which is the criterion used in allocating Ryan White funds, despite an increase in the number of HIV-positive people living in the Kansas City area, say city health officials. Groups affected by the funding cuts include the Kansas City Free Health Clinic and the Good Samaritan Project. Officials at the Good Samaritan Project say the group's emergency financial assistance, transportation, and outreach services will end next month. Kansas City Free Health Clinic director Sheri Wood says its HIV-related programs won't be eliminated but will be scaled back.