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HIV prevention services face months‑long disruption as CDC funding timeline shifts
Summary
DC Health said federal timing disruptions caused a seven‑month reduction in externally run HIV prevention services; the agency restarted grants through May 31 and council bridge funds will cover part of the summer gap, but long‑term FY26 funding remains uncertain.
DC Health officials told the Committee the agency experienced a multi-month disruption to HIV prevention grants tied to delayed federal approvals and the federal government shutdown. The agency kept personnel on payroll where possible and has been restarting grant awards to community providers; staff said ten providers had their grants restarted recently, funding them through May 31.
"So we kept all the FTEs... We didn't let them go," a senior program official said, describing a seven‑month service interruption. DC Health reported a $7.5 million federal grant total for HIV prevention that is at risk and said the council’s budget action restored roughly $1.2 million as a partial bridge. Agency leaders described contingency planning for scenarios in which federal awards are rescinded or delayed and emphasized preserving continuity of testing, PrEP navigation and community outreach.
The committee sought details on the magnitude of service reductions and the number of affected programs; DC Health said it had retained core staff and purchased test kits internally to sustain some services, but that reductions have limited outreach and condom distribution. Members requested a detailed timetable for grant approvals, restart dates, and a plan to avoid service gaps if federal funds are not forthcoming later in the fiscal year.
