Congressman Faleomavaega announced today that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has made available $39,645 to the American Samoa Department of Health and (DOH) through the Ryan White Title II Formula Grants Program.

The program is funded through Sections 2611-22 of Title XXVI of the Public Health Service Act, as amended by the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009, which was passed by Congress (Public Law 111-87) and signed by President Barack Obama on October 30, 2009.

The Ryan White Program is the largest federal program specifically dedicated to providing HIV care and treatment and it assists States and Territories in developing and/or enhancing access to a comprehensive continuum of high quality, community-based care for low-income individuals and families living with HIV.

In July 2010, the White House released the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) which has three primary goals: 1) reducing the number of people who become infected with HIV, 2) increasing access to care and optimizing health outcomes for people living with HIV and 3) reducing HIV-related health disparities. This grant supports the NHAS goals of increasing access to care, optimizing health outcomes, and reducing HIV-related health disparities.

The yearly grant which is renewed through competing continuation each year will fund one-year of services in American Samoa starting April 1, 2012. The overall funding for the Ryan White Program is $1.2 billion dollars annually with an estimated number of 59 awards nationally.

“I am pleased that the American Samoa Department of Health has continued to apply for and be awarded this grant and I am thankful that it will be a significant building block in our local efforts to improve community-based care and optimize health outcomes in American Samoa,” Faleomavaega stated.

"This program will assist the American Samoa Department of Health in supporting individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS, and I am proud that the Democrats pushed for this kind of funding and commitment."

“I especially thank Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and her team at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as well as the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), for making available these funds to assist the people of American Samoa in our community health efforts,” the Congressman concluded.