The AETCs are part of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, a Federal program providing HIV-related health services for those who do not have sufficient health care coverage or financial resources for coping with HIV disease.
The majority of Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program funds support primary medical care and essential support services. A smaller but equally critical portion is used to fund technical assistance, clinical training, and research on innovative models of care.
The AETC Network's role is to support the Ryan White program by increasing the number of health care providers who are effectively educated and motivated to counsel, diagnose, treat, and medically manage people with HIV disease, and to help prevent high-risk behaviors that lead to HIV transmission. This is accomplished through training and technical assistance.
Ryan White is administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration,
HIV/AIDS Bureau
. Federal funds are awarded to agencies located around the country, which in turn deliver care and services. First authorized in 1990, the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program is currently funded at $2.1 billion dollars. The AETC program budget in 2008 was just 1.6 percent of the total, or $34.1 million dollars.
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