City hits decline in AIDS funding

Mayor Thomas M. Menino, flanked by local HIV/AIDS advocates and public health officials, said a $1.1 million cut in federal AIDS funding will force the city to reduce care services.

The decline in Ryan White CARE funds from $14.8 million to $13.7 million means cutbacks in services including home-delivered meals, mental health counseling, and treatment for patients with substance abuse. Ryan White funding for child care, respite care, and complementary therapy such as herbal treatment and acupuncture has been completely cut.

Speaking at the offices of AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, Menino called the cuts devastating and warned that the fight against AIDS is an ongoing battle that needs constant funding.

''The federal and state government are sending a dangerous message," he said. ''By continually cutting AIDS funding, they're telling the people that the fight against AIDS is over. It is not over.

AIDS funding was reduced because the number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses in Boston fell from 307 in 2002 to 263 in 2003.

But Boston officials said that with higher survival rates, the demand for services remains high.

''The role of government is to help people, especially the most vulnerable in our city," Menino said. ''These cuts will truly devastate our most vulnerable persons -- insured and lower-income people living with HIV/AIDS."

The 10 programs lost funding, including Pathways to Wellness, an acupuncture therapy that has operated since 1989 and serves about 500 clients with HIV/AIDS.

Beth Hastie, a 35-year-old who has lived with HIV for 15 years, said acupuncture therapy has helped her cope with the virus. ''It's helped me deal with stress and with medication side effects. It improves my quality of life," Hastie said.

''Acupuncture is really vital. It's tough when there are funding cuts. I understand the whole process of how that happens. But I think acupuncture benefits a lot of people with HIV."

Other cuts include a 3 percent reduction in home-delivered meals and a 7 percent reduction in primary care and case management.

Officials estimate that 16,000 people are living with HIV/AIDS in Massachusetts, and 4,516 in Boston. Larry Kessler, executive of the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts, said that resources are critical in the fight against AIDS. ''If we act like it's over before it's over, it won't be over," he said.

Madison Park can be reached at Mpark@globe.com.