Statement from Vivent Health on Federal HIV Prevention Funding – St. Louis

AUSTIN, Texas — Vivent Health is deeply concerned by the Trump Administration’s decision not to renew direct HIV prevention funding for community-based organizations through the PS21-2102 program.

For years, this funding has helped bring free HIV testing, PrEP education and prevention services directly into communities where HIV continues to have the greatest impact, particularly among Black and Brown communities, transgender people and other individuals who face barriers to healthcare.

Over the past two years, the program supported more than 1,000 HIV tests through Vivent Health in Austin and identified nearly one-third of all new HIV diagnoses made by the organization during that time.

“This funding helps us reach people who might never walk through the doors of a clinic,” said Jordan Braxton, Community Empowerment Manager for Vivent Health. “Without community-based testing and prevention, people are less likely to know their HIV status, less likely to learn about PrEP and more likely to receive a late-stage diagnosis — or no diagnosis at all. This leads to more new cases of HIV among people who are already oftentimes facing health and socioeconomic challenges, creating more new and preventable infections which, ultimately, moves us farther away from ending the HIV epidemic.”

Federal officials have indicated that future HIV prevention funding may instead flow through state and local health departments. However, there is no guarantee community-based organizations like Vivent Health will receive the resources needed to continue these services without interruption.

Vivent Health urges federal, state and local leaders to protect dedicated HIV prevention funding and ensure community organizations can continue providing lifesaving testing, prevention and education.

For anyone currently living with HIV, our message remains the same: Stay connected to your care, keep your appointments and continue taking your medication. Those services remain available, and Vivent Health is here to help. Prevention is still one of our most powerful tools for ending the HIV epidemic, and Vivent Health continues to provide expert PrEP care for anyone who wants to reduce their risk of acquiring HIV.