Increased HIV screening may help identify more people with the disease, but there may not be enough resources to provide them with the care they need. The Institute of Medicine's Committee on HIV Screening and Access to Care concludes that more practitioners must be trained in HIV/AIDS care and treatment and their hospitals, clinics, and health departments must receive sufficient funding to meet a growing demand for care.

The Ryan White CARE Act makes fed. funds available to assist individuals affected by HIV/AIDS. Because minorities have been disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS, the Act's Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI) provides funding with the goal of reducing HIV-related health care disparities among minorities. The reauthor. of CARE Act programs changed the process by which grants are made from a formula based solely on demographics of the metro. area, state, or territory to a competitive process. This report provides info. on: (1) the effect on grantees and service providers of the new competitive process for awarding funds; (2) the types of services grantees funded under MAI; and (3) barriers to minorities obtaining services from HIV/AIDS programs. Illus.