Retaliation Against The AIDS Healthcare Foundation By The DeSantis Administration Puts Lives At Risk

Retaliation Against The AIDS Healthcare Foundation By The DeSantis Administration Puts Lives At Risk

Tallahassee, FL — The Florida Department of Health has notified the AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) that it will not renew contracts that are critical to maintaining HIV testing and treatment services, STI treatment, and housing support for those living with HIV. This decision comes after AHF helped lead the fight against devastating cuts to the state’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) earlier this year. That advocacy prompted bipartisan action from the Florida Legislature and emergency funding signed by Governor DeSantis — restoring access to lifesaving medication for more than 10,000 Floridians.

Equality Florida’s General Counsel and Public Policy Director, Jon Harris Maurer, responded:

“We are outraged that the DeSantis Administration is targeting the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, an organization that provides lifesaving care to tens of thousands of Floridians, after they helped lead the fight against harmful cuts to HIV medication access in Florida.

This latest incident is part of a broader pattern. Time and again, this administration has retaliated against businesses, school districts, and local governments that speak out or refuse to fall in line. That’s not leadership. It's an abuse of power.

Punishing trusted providers of HIV and other STI testing and care will not improve public health. It will make things worse. Florida already ranks among the highest in the nation for new HIV transmissions. The DeSantis Administration is yet again playing politics on the backs of some of our most vulnerable Floridians.

Equality Florida is proud to stand with the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, and we will continue working alongside our partners and advocates to hold state leaders accountable and push back against these reckless, dangerous, and deeply harmful attacks.”