$26 million federal grant to boost HIV treatment in Indiana

Ten Indiana counties will receive a portion of federal money dedicated to fighting HIV.

The State Department of Health has received a $26 million federal grant that officials say will help provide treatment and counseling to people with HIV. The 2017 Ryan White Supplemental Award will make more services available by funding psychiatric nurse practitioners and mental health and addiction counselors.

Officials will seek funding requests from health care providers, concentrating in the 10 counties around the state with the most HIV cases: Allen, Clark, Lake, Madison, Marion, Monroe, Scott, Tippecanoe, Vanderburgh and Vigo.

More than 12,000 people living in Indiana have HIV and about 500 cases of HIV or AIDS were newly diagnosed in the state last year.