Tennessee to Begin Rejecting Most Federal Funding for HIV Programs

The Vulindlela HIV study involved the sequencing of thousands of viruses. Darren Taylor/Special to The Epoch Times

Tennessee will begin rejecting federal funding for HIV programs at the end of May, according to a letter sent to grantees from the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH) and provided to The Epoch Times from TDH Communications Officer Dean Flener.

The letter was sent earlier this month to providers regarding the federal pass-through funding from the CDC for HIV surveillance, testing, and prevention. No additional comment was given by the agency, stating “the letter speaks for itself.”

“...it is in the best interest of Tennesseans for the State to assume direct financial and managerial response for these services [emphasis added],” the letter stated.

It further notes the TDH contract with the CDC will conclude on May 31.

“Further, this does not affect HIV treatment services funded in the federal Ryan White program through the Health Resource and Services Administration,” Flener said in an email.

History of the Program

The letter sent to providers notes that historically, Tennessee provided HIV surveillance, testing, and prevention services through a “CDC pass-through grant from the federal government.”

“These arrangements were made under prior administrations, and this administration is examining areas where it can decrease its reliance on federal funding and assume increased independence,” the letter from TDH Medical Director Pamela Talley read. “The State has determined it is in the best interest of Tennesseans for the State to assume direct financial and managerial responsibility for these services.”

Grant contracts under the Integrated HIV Programs for Health Departments to Support Ending the Epidemic in the United States and the Tennessee Integrated HIV Surveillance and Prevention programs for Health Departments will end on May 31.

The state says other state-funded initiatives will support all HIV prevention and surveillance staff activities in funded metro health departments beginning around June 1.

Tennessee has six “metro” or urban health departments that are not under state control, in Madison, Shelby, Knox, Davidson, Hamilton, and Sullivan counties. These departments are operated by the local governments in those counties.

​​“The funding for this HIV prevention program is very important and it’s important that it is spent effectively and efficiently in the ways that best serve Tennessee,” Gov. Bill Lee said, accordion to the Memphis Commercial Appeal. “We think we can do that better than the strings attached with the federal dollars that came our way and that’s why we made that decision.”

Of the 89 rural county health departments, TDH did not respond to a request for how those agencies will receive funding for their HIV surveillance and prevention programs.

Planned Parenthood Ties

The Commercial Appeal first reported the state had previously tried to cut ties to Planned Parenthood’s HIV programs before making the move to cut the CDC’s funding.

The outlet reported an attorney representing Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi outlined steps the state took to void their decade-long partnership for funding the group’s HIV-related services.

A person holds an HIV testing kit in Charleston, W.Va., on March 9, 2021. John Raby/AP Photo

“The letter was sent to Tennessee Department of Health’s general counsel about two months before Planned Parenthood and several nonprofits learned the state would no longer accept federal funding from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control for HIV-related services,” the outlet reported.

The attorney told the Memphis outlet the move to disqualify only Planned Parenthood violated a long-standing memorandum of understanding and called them “unlawful” in violation of Planned Parenthood’s constitutional rights.