Mayor Lightfoot Announces $40 Million in Funding to Enhance HIV Services and ‘Getting to Zero’ Efforts

Lawndale News Chicago's Bilingual Newspaper - Health

Lawndale News Chicago's Bilingual Newspaper - Health

Mayor Lori E. Lightfoot and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) have awarded almost $40 million to over 40 organizations to accelerate progress on Getting to Zero (GTZ) Illinois, a statewide initiative that aims to end the HIV epidemic in Illinois by 2030. The City is funding two first-of-their-kind programs: one is dedicated to reducing unstable housing/homelessness among HIV negative Black and Latino/x gay men who use pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP); and the other is a Resource Coordination Hub that connects people to services, regardless of HIV status or need. Additionally, the City is investing in community engagement projects that address the structural barriers, including systemic racism, that often prevent people from accessing high quality HIV services. These funds are intended to achieve two primary outcomes: increasing viral suppression among persons living with HIV and increasing PrEP use among those vulnerable to HIV. To accomplish this, the Portfolio balances medical and supportive services, understanding both are critical to achieving positive outcomes. Organizations of all sizes, including smaller non-medical community-based organizations, particularly those that are population-specific, are funded under the Portfolio. In the coming months, CDPH will share a full analysis of funding distribution by funding category and a geographic distribution of funded provider sites.

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