Newark City Council Approves $11.9M in Ryan White Funding
The Newark, N.J., Municipal Council during an emergency session on Tuesday approved $11.9 million in Ryan White Program funding for HIV/AIDS initiatives in the region, the Newark Star-Ledger reports.
According to the Star-Ledger, the deadline to approve applications to receive funding is this week, and the city risked "los[ing]" the funding if the applications had not been approved on Tuesday. Maria Vizcarrondo -- director of the Newark Department of Child and Family Well-Being, which processes applications for Ryan White funding -- said there were administrative errors in processing applications because of staffing shortages.
The issues with processing the applications also delayed the distribution of funds, causing some groups to find other ways to provide services before the funding arrives. Groups that applied for funding and received approval from the council will receive funding beginning in August, Vizcarrondo said (Wang, Newark Star-Ledger, 6/24).