The 19th: Growing old with HIV is now possible. Trump’s CDC cuts threaten that progress.

This 19th news coverage talks how the CDC budget cuts and mass firing will be devastating for older LGBTQ+ people living with HIV.

The article speaks with long-term survivor Ronald Johnson; Terri Wilder, the HIV/aging policy advocate at SAGE, and CHLP Staff Attorney Kae Greenberg. Kae's comments focused on the importance of reauthorizing the Older Americans Act.

"Though people over the age of 50 have been overlooked in HIV prevention and treatment work broadly, advocates made strides in recent years to bring more attention to their needs. In 2024, a new rule designated people living with HIV and LGBTQ+ people as populations of'greatest social need' under the Older Americans Act. The law was initially passed in 1965 to fund a network of programs and services aimed at addressing a range of needs, including caregiving, transportation and nutrition.

"As a result of the updated rule, states 'need to specifically account for the ways in which they are addressing the needs of these populations. So it’s a way for the feds to essentially make sure that these populations are given the care and attention that they need, regardless of whether you live in Oklahoma or Massachusetts,' said Kae Greenberg, a staff attorney at the Center for HIV Law and Policy.

"Authorization for the Older Americans Act expired in September. In December, the Senate passed a measure for reauthorization, but the House did not vote on the bill before the end of the congressional session."

Read the full article at The 19th: Growing old with HIV is now possible. Trump’s CDC cuts threaten that progress