Cadence Institute Releases Policy Brief on U.S. HIV/AIDS Funding Cuts

BRONX, N.Y. - Oct. 4, 2025 - PRLog -- The Cadence Institute for Policy & Society today released a new policy brief, Cuts to U.S. HIV/AIDS Funding and Implications for LGBTQ+ Communities, a concise nine-page report that exposes the profound social and public health consequences of recent federal funding reductions. The analysis reveals how budget cuts, bureaucratic restructuring, and suspended global programs threaten to reverse decades of progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Drawing from data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), amfAR, UNAIDS, and other leading institutions, the report highlights alarming trends: the potential loss of prevention infrastructure, the dismantling of critical programs like Ryan White and HOPWA, and projected spikes in new infections, AIDS-related deaths, and healthcare costs."This report is a wake-up call," said Dr. Edward Summers, Director of the Cadence Institute for Policy & Society. "The evidence shows that when we cut prevention, we increase infection. When we defund care and research, we weaken communities that have fought hardest to survive. These funding cuts are not only a public health issue, they are a democracy issue."

The brief was developed in partnership with The Thinkubator, a Bronx- and Florida-based youth policy and innovation hub, as part of a broader commitment to engaging young voices in public policy research."This collaboration shows what inclusive policymaking looks like," said Desiree Herrington, CEO of The Thinkubator. "Our youth researchers and partners brought urgency and creativity to this project. We cannot allow political decisions to erase the progress LGBTQ+ and communities of color have made in fighting HIV."

One of those youth researchers, Tah Jay Gonzales, a Cadence Institute Policy Fellow, described the experience of contributing to the report: "Working on this brief made me realize how policy connects to real lives. These cuts mean fewer clinics, less prevention, and more people who won't get the care they deserve. I hope this work motivates decision-makers to protect our future."

The policy brief includes key recommendations for federal, state, and local policymakers, such as:

• Restoring full funding for the CDC's Division of HIV Prevention and the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program.
• Preserving housing assistance under HOPWA to prevent homelessness among people living with HIV.
• Expanding harm-reduction and mental health services for LGBTQ+ youth and adults.
• Reinstating global HIV prevention commitments through PEPFAR and USAID.
• Building state and private partnerships to sustain programs where federal support is withdrawn.

📄 Download the report: https://www.dredward-summers.com/cadence-institute