The Minority Aids Initiative (MAI) Is an Essential Tool for Fighting HIV

Congress enacted the Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI) in 1998 in response to the consistent and disproportionate impact HIV has had on racial and ethnic minorities. It stemmed from a recognition that communities of color were under-resourced and had insufficient capacity to mount effective prevention and care responses. The program was not established merely to provide more HIV prevention and care services to communities of color; its stated strategic purpose was to address the inadequate capacity to provide trusted, culturally relevant services by and to heavily impacted communities, the absence of which contributed to high rates of HIV and poor health outcomes. As we assess how to meet national goals to end the HIV epidemic in 2023, we need to affirm our commitment to the MAI, increase its funding, improve its transparency, and ensure that it achieves its strategic purpose.

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