Some groups providing HIV/AIDS services in Baton Rouge may see funds cut in grant dispute
The city-parish may have to take back some of the $4.5 million in federal grant money it gave groups that provide services to residents with HIV/AIDS and give it to another health care organization that has an ongoing lawsuit against the local government.
The Parish Attorney's Office found that the city-parish's Division of Human Development and Services erred in rejecting a request for funding by the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, according to a memo The Advocate received through a records request. AHF was seeking part of the money available this year through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program and Minority AIDS Initiative.
The development means that the six other agencies already notified of their funding allotments for the grant year that began March 1 could see their amounts reduced so some of the money can go to AHF as well.
"At this time, we don't know how much it will be," Shamell Lavigne, program administrator for the city-parish's Ryan White Program, said of the possible reductions. "But they've already received notice we may have to."
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