Ryan White Program

The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program is the largest federal program for HIV/AIDS care. First created in 1990 through the enactment of the Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act, or CARE Act. The Ryan White Care Act was amended and reauthorized in 1996, 2000, 2006. In 2009, it was reauthorized as the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009. The program is now called the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) and is administered by the Human Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program was designed to provide care for individuals with HIV/AIDS who have no health insurance (public or private), have insufficient health care coverage, or lack financial resources to get the care they need. The program is divided into different components (Parts A, B, C, D, F) each of which addresses a specific aspect of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The Ryan White Program acts as the payer of last resort, filling in the gaps in care not covered by other funding sources.

A pink awareness ribbon placed over a map of a coastal area.
  • Part A funds support and medical services to Eligible Metropolitan Areas (EMAs) and Transitional Grant Areas (TGAs), which are cities and counties that the HIV epidemic has affected the most. About 72% of all HIV-diagnosed people in the U.S. live in EMAs and TGAs.

  • Part B gives funding to states and territories to improve the availability, quality, and organization of HIV support services and health care. All 50 states are recipients, as well as the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Republic of Palau, Republic of the Marshalls Islands, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and Federated States of Micronesia.

  • Part C gives funds to local, community-based organizations so that they can provide full-scale essential HIV support services and medical care in an outpatient setting for people who have HIV. Part C also funds Capacity Development grants, which assist organizations in more successfully delivering HIV services and care.

  • Part D gives funds to local, community-based organizations so that they can provide ambulatory, outpatient, family-oriented primary and specialty care for infants, kids, youth, and women with HIV.

  • Part F funds support clinician training, technical support, and the development of new HIV care strategies to better health outcomes and lessen HIV transmission.

    These programs include:

  • The AIDS Education and Training Centers (AETC) Program

  • The Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) Program

  • The Minority AIDS Initiative

Two Part F programs center on funding oral health care for people who have HIV:

  • The HIV/AIDS Dental Reimbursement Program (DRP)

  • The Community-Based Dental Partnership Program

This website and the information contained on it refers to Part A Services.

Part A:

Part A of the Ryan White program funds medical services and support services for uninsured and underinsured persons living with HIV/AIDS in 52 U.S. areas most adversely affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Communities use Part A funds to support community-based care systems that provide outpatient healthcare and a range of critical support services. The guiding philosophy behind this integrated and comprehensive system of care is that people living with HIV/AIDS can best manage their illness and adhere to life saving medications if their full set of care and related needs are met.

Support Services:

The remaining 25% of funds that are awarded to various regions may be spent on critical support services. These support services must be linked to medical outcomes and may include: 

  • Child Care Services

  • Emergency Financial Assistance

  • Food Bank/Home Delivered Meals

  • Health Education/Risk Reduction

  • Housing

  • Linguistic Services

  • Medical Transportation

  • Non-Medical Case Management Services

  • Other Professional Services (Legal)

  • Outreach Services

  • Psychosocial Support Services

  • Referral for Health Care and Support Services

  • Rehabilitation Services

  • Respite Care

  • Substance Abuse Services (residential)

Approval is required from HRSA to waive the 75%/25% requirement.

Core Medical Services:

The Ryan White Program requires that 75% of spending for Part A funds be used on the following core medical services: 

  • AIDS Drug Assistance Program Treatments

  • AIDS Pharmaceutical Assistance

  • Early Intervention Services

  • Health Insurance Premium and Cost Sharing Assistance for Low-Income Individuals

  • Home and Community-Based Health Services

  • Home Health Care

  • Hospice

  • Medical Case Management, including Treatment-Adherence Services

  • Medical Nutrition Therapy

  • Mental Health Services

  • Oral Health Care

  • Outpatient/Ambulatory Health Services

  • Substance Abuse Outpatient Care

How Funds Are Distributed:

There are 52 Part A jurisdictions in 24 states, Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia that receive Part A funding. These funds include formula (base level of funding) and supplemental (additional funds to address specific needs and priorities) components, as well as Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI) funds to improve access to HIV care and health outcomes for racial and ethnic minority populations disproportionately affected by HIV. Funding is distributed by the HIV/AIDS Bureau of the Health Resources and Services Administration to the chief executive of the lead city or county in each jurisdiction. In the Nassau Suffolk region, Nassau County receives funding on behalf of the two-county region through an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between Nassau and Suffolk Counties. 

To assist in the administration of Ryan White Part A, the Nassau County Department of Health (NCDOH) contracts with United Way of Long Island to serve as the technical support agency to distribute funds and monitor programs. 


View the Part A service map for the list of services funded in the Long Island region.