Congresswoman Matsui Announces $350,000 Federal Award to CARES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
CONTACT: JONELLE TRIMMER
(202) 225-7163
Congresswoman Matsui Announces $350,000 Federal Award to CARES
Funds will Expand Access to Care for Persons Living with HIV/AIDS in the Sacramento Region
CA - Congresswoman Doris Matsui (CA-05) today announced that the Center for AIDS Research, Education and Services (CARES) has received a $350,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program. This funding is designed to expand access to care for persons affected by HIV/AIDS who would otherwise be unable to afford the proper health care and related support services.
"I am pleased that this funding will allow CARES to continue to provide high quality care to those in the Sacramento region living with HIV/AIDS," said Congresswoman Matsui. "Prevention, education and the proper health care are all key to stopping the spread of this disease. Working together we can make a difference, and this money is symbolic of the federal government's dedication to this fight."
As the largest HIV/AIDS nonprofit clinic in the Sacramento region, CARES provides testing, clinic services and counseling to more than 2,000 people each year. With this grant, the nonprofit will provide focused care for women, children and youth with HIV.
"We are thrilled to be awarded the Ryan White Care Act funds," said Bob Kamrath, Executive Director of CARES. "This grant is especially important given the increasing HIV infection rates among youth and the disproportionate impact of HIV infection rates among women in our uninsured and underinsured populations. Our community will be healthier as we apply this funding to care for our community members."
CARES provides comprehensive services for the whole person, including a women's clinic, dental services, on-site pharmacy, and behavioral health services such as counseling and nutrition education. It has been recognized by the National Committee for Quality Assurance as a Level III Patient Centered Medical Home, their highest level of recognition. Through the years outreach and prevention efforts have expanded to include a free walk-in testing program, a speakers program that provides education to area groups and schools, and the formation of a diverse coalition of community supporters committed to the fight against this growing epidemic.
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