By: Rusty Brooks
A Nonprofit Public Health Solutions recently sealed a $1.2 billion contract focusing mainly on services to prevent HIV/AIDS from the NYC Health Department
According to the foundations homepage: Public Health Solutions (PHS) was first established as the Medical and Health Research Association of New York City (MHRA) by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (NYC DOHMH) in 1957. We were created to foster research in the NYC DOHMH by providing more flexibility to seek grants and contracts from government and private sources. What began in 1957 as a city agency’s innovation in research administration has successfully evolved into a major public health organization. Today, we not only continue in our original mission to conduct significant research and assist NYC DOHMH, but also provide vital services that improve the health of low-income and high-risk families and communities throughout New York City
The Health Department contract comes as the city is recording historic lows in new HIV diagnoses, according to an agency report in November, the NY Post reported.
The department said that in 2018, the city figure “fell below 2,000 for the first time since annual HIV reporting began in 2001.
“According to the 2018 HIV Surveillance Annual Report, 1,917 people were newly diagnosed with HIV in New York City in 2018, down 11% from the 2,157 new diagnoses reported in 2017, and down 67% from 2001,’’ it said.
The NY Post asked department spokesman Patrick Gallahue about the contract: “This is the master contract for HIV services”
“PHS will be responsible for the procurement, subcontracting and management of a portfolio of human service contracts going to various providers across the city.
“Through the subcontracts, most of the $1.2B will be passed onto community-based social service providers for the provision of services to prevent new HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infections, to decrease morbidity and mortality among individuals with HIV, to prevent/respond to the outbreak of infectious diseases in New York City, and to ensure and promote the health of New Yorkers.’’
Queens Councilman Robert Holden was not thrilled with this gigantic contract. He told the publication. “A contract of this size over this long period of time should be put on hold,” said the pol, a registered Democrat who was elected as a Republican. “We have a budget shortfall. We shouldn’t be committing this much money long-term that we don’t have.”
