Mississippi AIDS activists are bracing for a $10 million cut proposed by the new state legislature that would take the State Department of Health budget to levels last seen in 1990.

“With Governor Bryant in office, we’re in for hard times,” says Luke Versher, Field Organizer of AIDS Action Mississippi.

The Clarion Ledger reported this week that the state was considering slashing the Dept of Health’s budget from $29million to $20million. By comparison, Arkansas’s budget for the Department of Health is more than triple that of Mississippi. Both states have the same size population.

If the $20.7 million budget passes, “it would devastate the critical functions of the Health Department,” said Dr. Luke Lampton, chairman of the state Board of Health to the Clarion Ledger. “The state would pay a huge price in infant mortality, in HIV prevention and treatment if we don’t fund the department at its basic, functional level.”

Last night, the newly elected Governor Phil Bryant gave his fist State of the State Address, where he didn’t discuss these proposed cuts that may appear in his budget proposal to be released soon. Instead, he discussed improving the state’s health infrastructure through corporate development of healthcare industries, but was short on answers to improving the actual health of Mississippians.

“I have proposed the creation of Medical Zones throughout Mississippi where a cluster of medical facilities and services exist, he said. “Within these medical zones, we will encourage expansion by offering construction tax credits and job creation incentives where new high tech careers begin.”

“They’re ready to cut services and not raise taxes on the wealthy, said Versher. “

Governor Bryant also called for tax breaks for physicians who serve rural communities to incentivize serving in areas with few doctors. While Mississippi is the poorest state in the nation, and ranks #6 in HIV infection rates (and ranks #1 in many areas of illness and disease), it also has some of the harshest Medicaid eligibility requirements.

Follow the Update blog on Twitter @housingworks.

blog comments powered by Disqus

OUR MISSION Housing Works is a healing community of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. Our mission is to end the dual crises of homelessness and AIDS through relentless advocacy, the provision of lifesaving services, and entrepreneurial businesses that sustain our efforts.

Stay in Touch

Intranet HIV/AIDS Notice Privacy Policy