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Council approves federal law‑enforcement and Ryan White grant subawards amid public comment on priorities
Summary
The Metro Council approved multiple subawards and grants for police equipment and HIV services. Public commenters urged redirecting HIV funding toward mental‑health services; department directors and council members explained federal restrictions on grant usage and defended the public‑health rationale.
The Metro Council on Feb. 12 approved several grant awards for law enforcement equipment and HIV service subrecipients and heard public comment opposing continued HIV program funding in favor of mental‑health spending.
The council voted to accept a Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) award of $99,980 for law enforcement equipment and a separate subaward from the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement (Ryan White JAG subaward) of $30,647 for HIV law‑enforcement related equipment and services. Both motions passed on voice vote without roll‑call tallies recorded in the public transcript.
During public comment Penny Mae Landry urged the council to reduce funding for HIV programs and redirect money to mental‑health services, saying “We have a new epidemic in East Baton Rouge. It's called mental illness.” Several council members and health‑program leaders responded that federal HIV funds are restricted to HIV prevention and care and cannot be repurposed. Human Development and Services Director Mabry said the EHE/Ryan White funds are “specifically earmarked for those persons living with or have been diagnosed with HIV. We cannot do anything else with those funds.”
Council members noted other streams of state and federal spending (Medicaid, etc.) that support HIV care and highlighted the public‑health logic for Ryan White and EHE programs, including PrEP and treatment that reduce transmission and long‑term costs. Directors said most of the parish’s grants are cost‑reimbursement and that purchases generally are not initiated until award letters and council acceptance are in place; staff said they have been “very successful in drawing down funds” but acknowledged the competitive nature of grants.
The council also approved amendments increasing two Ryan White subrecipient contracts: an increase of $22,000 to HIV/AIDS Alliance for Region 2 (total $1,041,246) and an increase of $60,500 to Our Lady of the Lake Inc. (total $610,482) for Ryan White Ending the HIV Epidemic program funds; motions to approve those amendments carried unanimously.
