Submit your reply to the Initial Response Report in HRSA Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) by 11:59 p.m. ET May 15, 2020.
HHS Awards $90 Million to Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Recipients for COVID-19 Response (4/15/2020)
View Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program FAQs
The fiscal year (FY) 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act -P.L. 116- 136 (CARES Act) provides one-time funding to help current Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) recipients prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The CARES Act appropriated $90 million to help recipients respond to COVID-19 related health service needs for RWHAP clients. The CARES funding in large measure will support core medical and support services for RWHAP clients. In addition, funds have also been strategically allocated to several RWHAP national technical assistance programs.
Your COVID-19 Notice of Award (NoA) includes multiple reporting requirements. Your reply to the COVID-19 Initial Response Reporting Requirement will be submitted through HRSA Electronic Handbooks (EHBs) by 11:59 p.m. ET on May 15, 2020 (30 days from issuance of award). Recipients are reminded that you are able to begin expending your funds immediately upon acceptance of the award. You are not required to wait until this report is submitted.
Below is a list of flexibilities for FY 2020 CARES Act funding as it pertains RWHAP provisions and funding limitations:
| Planning Council Duties—Part A | Planning councils are charged with determining the size and demographics of the population, determining the needs of the population, establishing priorities, developing comprehensive plans, assessing the efficiency of administrative mechanisms, participating in the development of the statewide coordinated statement of need, establishing methods of obtaining input, and coordinating with Federal grant recipients that provide HIV-related services. Planning council responsibilities with regard to the COVID-19 CARES Act funding are waived. § 2602(b)(4) of the Public Health Service (PHS) Act. |
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| Minimum WICY Expenditures—Part A, Part B | RWHAP recipients are required to use a minimum amount/percentage to provide services to women, infants, children and youth (WICY) living with HIV. The minimum set-aside amounts/percentages must be determined separately for each priority population, and may not be less than the percentage of each population to the total number of persons estimated to be living with HIV within the EMA/TGA.
The WICY allocation requirement for the COVID-19 CARES Act funding is waived. §§ 2604(f), 2612(e) of the PHS Act. |
| Unobligated Balances Penalty—Part A, Part B | Requirements regarding the timeframe for obligation and expenditure of formula and supplemental funds do not apply to the COVID-19 CARES Act funding. §§ 2603(c), 2609(d)(2), and 2622 of the PHS Act. |
| ADAP Flex—Part B | The statutory limitation of 5 percent of ADAP funds for access, adherence, and monitoring services is waived for the COVID-19 CARES Act funding, permitting allocations for these activities. §§ 2616(c) of the PHS Act. |
| Expedited Distribution and Penalty—Part B | The requirements that recipients obligate 75 percent of the award, submit an interim FFR, and associated penalties are waived for the COVID-19 CARES Act funding. §§ 2618(c) and (d) of the PHS Act. |
| Matching Requirement—Part B | The requirement that recipients with more than one percent of national HIV cases must match the award is waived for the COVID-19 CARES Act funding. § 2617(d) of the PHS Act.
50 percent EIS—Part C The requirement that the recipient must expend at least 50 percent of the total funds awarded on Early Intervention Services is waived for the COVID-19 CARES Act funding. § 2651(b)(2) of the PHS Act. |
| Core Medical Services Requirement—Part A, Part B, Part C | The requirement that the recipient must spend at least 75 percent of the amount remaining after reserving amounts for administration, planning and evaluation and/or clinical quality management on core medical services is waived for the COVID-19 CARES Act funding. §§ 2604(c), 2612(b), and 2651(c) of the PHS Act. |
| COVID-19 testing and Provision of Personal Protective Equipment for Household Members of People with HIV—Part A, Part B, Part C | The requirement to serve only people with HIV is waived for the COVID-19 CARES Act funding only in the extremely limited instances of household members living Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program clients, and only for COVID-19 testing and the provision of personal protective equipment (PPE). Part D recipients are able to use funds for this purpose in the absence of a waiver. § 2683 of the PHS Act. |
| Imposition of Charges—Part A, Part B, Part C | The requirement that the recipient impose at least a nominal charge for services for clients with an individual income of over 100 percent of the FPL is waived for the COVID-19 CARES Act funding. §§ 2605(e), 2617(c), and 2664(e) of the PHS Act. |
| Maintenance of Effort—Part A, Part B, Part C | The requirement that the recipient must maintain expenditures for HIV-related activities (EIS for Part C) at a level which is not less than the level of expenditures for such activities during the one-year period preceding the fiscal year for which the applicant is applying to receive the grant is waived for the COVID-19 CARES Act funding. §§ 2605(a)(1)(B), 2617(b)(7)(E), 2664(d) of the PHS Act. |
| Integrated HIV Prevention and Care Plan/SCSN—Part A, Part B, Part C, Part D | The requirement that RWHAP Part recipients develop the Statewide Coordinated Statement of Need is waived for the COVID-19 CARES Act funding. §§ 2605(a)(8), 2617(b)(6), 2664(g)(4), 2671(c)(2) of the PHS Act. |
See the Initial Response Report Requirements Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Parts A-D (PDF - 101 KB) and Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program National Technical Assistance Programs (PDF - 266 KB) for instructions on how to complete the:
HRSA HAB has developed a technical assistance document, Examples of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Supplemental Funding Uses and Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Service Categories, to help recipients link RWHAP service categories to CARES Act funded activities. While this document provides examples of COVID-19 related activities that can be provided for each RWHAP service category, it is not intended to be an exhaustive list of allowable activities.
HRSA HAB has requested approval from OMB to create a new monthly, aggregate data report to collect information on CARES Act funded activities. This module will be required for all providers (regardless of whether they are recipients or subrecipient) who receive FY 2020 CARES Act funding.
Below are some key questions and answers regarding the CDR.
HRSA's HIV/AIDS Bureau will host its next HAB You Heard Webinar for Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program recipients, subrecipients, and stakeholders.
Tuesday, September 22, 2020, 3:00-4:00 p.m. ET
Adobe Connect
Conference Line: 888-994-8789
Participant Code: 3483339
*Note: Persons using assistive technology may not be able to fully access information in this file. For assistance, please email HRSAAccessibility@hrsa.gov.