GMHC Press Statement FY25 NYC Budget

New York, NY—GMHC celebrates the restoration of $5.3 million in funding for NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) HIV and AIDS programs in the final FY25 NYC budget. This funding includes over $688,000 for two programs at GMHC that serve hundreds of community members and employ seven staff. GMHC’s Undetectables program supports treatment adherence for people living with HIV and AIDS, which eliminates the possibility of transmitting the virus through sexual contact. GMHC’s HIV Prevention and Literacy: Older Adults program serves New Yorkers over age 50 who are either living with HIV and AIDS or at high risk for exposure to the virus. It also supports older adults’ services, professionals and providers throughout the city, helping to ensure HIV and LGBTQ+ cultural competency. 

“GMHC would like to thank NYC Council Speaker Adrienne A. Adams and Health Committee Chair Lynn Schulman for leadership and advocacy that not only restored $5.3M for HIV and AIDS services providers throughout NYC, but also worked in collaboration with Mayor Adams’ administration to baseline that funding. This means that the City’s HIV and AIDS nonprofit infrastructure will not have to fight each year to make sure this funding is available to the communities we serve,” said Jason Cianciotto, Vice President of Public Policy & External Affairs at GMHC. “We also thank Co-Chairs Erik Bottcher, Tiffany Cabán, and members of the LGBTQ+ caucus, as well as Council Finance Chair Justin Brannan, for their steadfast support.”

“As a former staff member of GMHC and someone whose healthcare advocacy was formed during the heights of the HIV and AIDS movement, where I witnessed the death of friends and neighbors, restoring HIV and AIDS funding to the City budget was a major priority for me,” said Council Member Lynn Schulman, Chair of the Health Committee. “In addition, I was proud to fight for the baselining of these funds to make them more permanent, so we can continue to advance to a world without AIDS.” 

For the past several months, GMHC led advocacy against these budget cuts, which would have jeopardized the health and safety of low-income people of color, LGBTQ+ communities, immigrants, and other New Yorkers disproportionately impacted by HIV. Activities included:

• Nearly 300 emails sent to Mayor Adams and Council Members by their constituents;
• Testifying at NYC Council General Welfare and Health Committee meetings;
• Meetings with dozens of NYC Council Members and Adams administration leaders; 
• A “dear colleague” letter from the NYC Council LGBTQ+ Caucus calling on their Council colleagues and Mayor Adams to restore funding; 
• An opinion editorial authored by NYC Council Member and LGBTQ+ Caucus Co-Chair Erik Bottcher; 
• A rally and press conference on the steps of NYC City Hall, in collaboration with mental health Clubhouse services providers;
• Media interviews and social media campaigns;
• GMHC, Callen-Lorde, Housing Works, and Harlem United boycotted the NYC Pride March on June 30 to protest and draw attention to the funding cuts, which was also the deadline for the budget to be passed.

   

“Our friends and allies in the New York City Council and City government know that HIV and AIDS are not over,” concluded Cianciotto. “According to the most recent data, new HIV infections in NYC have plateaued after significant year-over-year decreases prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. A budget that prioritizes HIV and AIDS services is critical to ending the epidemic in NYC.”