Tennessee says it's cutting federal HIV funding. Will other states follow?
Health officials in Tennessee say they will reject federal funding for groups that provide services to residents living with HIV.
Health officials in Tennessee say they will reject federal funding for groups that provide services to residents living with HIV.
Earlier this week, the Tennessee Department of Health announced it would no longer accept grant money from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earmarked for testing, prevention and treatment of HIV.
In an email reviewed by NBC News, the Department of Health told certain nonprofit organizations that provide these services that the state would turn down the federal funding as of June, relying only on state funds afterward. "It is in the best interest of Tennesseans for the State to assume direct financial and managerial response for these services," the email read.
When asked for comment by NBC News, a spokesperson for the Department of Health said that "the letter speaks for itself."
An estimated 20,000 people in Tennessee are living with HIV, though not all would be affected by the cuts. There was no further guidance on how the state planned to fund such programs on its own.
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