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Minority HIV/AIDS Initiative (MAI)

President's Announcement

In October 1998, the President declared HIV/AIDS to be a severe and on-going health crisis in racial and ethnic minority communities . In response, the Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Congressional Black Caucus, and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus announced a special package of initiatives aimed at reducing the impact of HIV/AIDS on racial and ethnic minorities.

The Minority HIV/AIDS Initiative is part of HHS' larger Initiative to Eliminate Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Health by the year 2010. HIV/AIDS is one of that initiative's six focus areas.

Initiative Background

The Initiative began in FY 1999 with $156 million, which increased to $398.7 million in FY 2005. This includes $52.4 million in funding for new projects through the Minority AIDS Initiative Fund.

The Minority HIV/AIDS Initiative provides funds to community-based organizations, faith communities, research institutions, minority-serving colleges and universities, health care organizations, state and local health departments, and correctional institutions to help them address the HIV/AIDS epidemic within the minority populations they serve.

HHS Partners

HHS is working through its agencies to provide grants for programs dealing with HIV/AIDS prevention and education, research, faith-based initiatives, prison programs, expansion of treatment capacity, bilingual/bicultural services, and other special projects.

The agencies are:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  
  
• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
  
  
• National Institutes of Health
  
  
• Health Resources and Services Administration
  
  
• Office of Minority Health
  
  
• Indian Health Services