410 ILCS 303/27

(410 ILCS 303/27)

Sec. 27. African-American HIV/AIDS Response Fund.

(a) The African-American HIV/AIDS Response Fund is created as a special fund in the State treasury. Moneys deposited into the Fund shall, subject to appropriation, be used for grants for programs to prevent the transmission of HIV and other programs and activities consistent with the purposes of this Act, including, but not limited to, preventing and treating HIV/AIDS, the creation of an HIV/AIDS service delivery system, and the administration of the Act. The grants under this Section may be administered by a lead agent selected by the Department of Public Health, considering the entity's ability to administer grants and familiarity with the grantees' programs, and that selection shall be exempt from the public notice of funding opportunity under the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act or any rule regarding the public notice of funding opportunity adopted under that Act. The lead agent must demonstrate the ability to administer the grant to subgrantees in compliance with the requirements of the Grant Accountability and Transparency Act. Moneys for the Fund shall come from appropriations by the General Assembly, federal funds, and other public resources.

(b) The Fund shall provide resources for communities in Illinois to create an HIV/AIDS service delivery system that reduces the disparity of HIV infection and AIDS cases between African-Americans and other population groups in Illinois that may be impacted by the disease by, including but, not limited to:

(1) developing, implementing, and maintaining a comprehensive, culturally sensitive HIV Prevention Plan targeting communities that are identified as high-risk in terms of the impact of the disease on African-Americans;

(2) developing, implementing, and maintaining a stable HIV/AIDS service delivery infrastructure in Illinois communities that will meet the needs of African-Americans;

(3) developing, implementing, and maintaining a statewide HIV/AIDS testing program;

(4) providing funding for HIV/AIDS social and scientific research to improve prevention and treatment;

(5) providing comprehensive technical and other assistance to African-American community service organizations that are involved in HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment;

(6) developing, implementing, and maintaining an infrastructure for African-American community service organizations to make them less dependent on government resources;

(7) (blank); and

(8) creating, maintaining, or creating and maintaining at least one Black-led Center of Excellence HIV Biomedical Resource Hub for every $3,000,000 of available funding to improve Black health and eliminate Black HIV-related health disparities; a Center of Excellence may be developed on a stand-alone or a collaborative basis and may provide regional comprehensive HIV preventative care and essential support services, which may include, but are not limited to, PrEP assessment, same day prescription delivery, primary HIV medical care or referral, case management, outpatient mental health, outpatient substance abuse, treatment, medication adherence, nutritional supplemental support, housing, financial assistance, workforce development, criminal justice involvement, and advocacy services.

(c) When providing grants pursuant to this Fund, the Department of Public Health shall give priority to the development of comprehensive medical and social services to African-Americans at risk of infection from or infected with HIV/AIDS in areas of the State determined to have the greatest geographic prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the African-American population.

(d) (Blank).

(Source: P.A. 102-1052, eff. 1-1-23; 103-588, eff. 6-5-24.)