Mayor Ronnie Felder issued a proclamation at the Feb. 5 Riviera Beach City Council meeting recognizing National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and urging residents to increase testing, reduce stigma and improve access to treatment.

Presentations and data: Representatives from Monarch Health Services and the Palm Beach County Health Department outlined local epidemiology and service needs. Monarch said Palm Beach County currently has about 9,400 people living with HIV and that roughly 1,600 are out of care. A Health Department speaker summarized 2020–2022 surveillance data showing 4,679 newly diagnosed persons in that period and noting racial disparities: 40% of new diagnoses were among Black residents, 37% Hispanic, 22% white and 2% other races. The presenter said 86% of Black residents diagnosed were in care, 73% were retained in care and 69% had a suppressed viral load.

Goals and outreach: Health partners urged the council and residents to support testing and linkage to care and cited federal and state goals to increase awareness, treatment and viral suppression. The council acknowledged the proclamation and partners announced an awareness event at the marina that same week.

Quote: "We would like for the state of Florida 95 percent of our population to be aware of their HIV status, 95 percent to be in treatment, and 95 percent to be virus suppressed," a Health Department speaker said, explaining county goals for ending the epidemic.

No council action was required for the proclamation.