New York State has awarded a total of $2.5 million in grants to 11 groups across the state that provide legal services to people and families living with or affected by HIV, according to a press release from Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office.

“Individuals living with HIV often have to deal with a long list of legal issues resulting from their illness and are unable to find or afford the proper assistance,” said New York State Health Commissioner Howard Zucker, MD, JD, in the press release. “This funding helps ensure that HIV-positive individuals and their families have access to the services and supports that can sometimes be difficult to obtain.”

As the release notes, many people living with HIV face an array of costly legal issues, such as securing safe housing, obtaining public benefits and fighting discriminatory practices. The grants aim to ensure these people and their families have access to the legal services they need.

The 11 groups and their grant amounts include:

  • Legal Services of Central New York, Inc. — $196,113
  • Volunteer Legal Services Project of Monroe County, Inc. — $196,113
  • Albany Law School of Union University — $196,113
  • Erie County Bar Assoc. Volunteer Lawyers Project, Inc. — $196,113
  • Legal Services of the Hudson Valley — $288,300
  • Nassau-Suffolk Law Services Committee — $288,300
  • Family Center, Inc. — $288,300
  • Legal Action Center of the City of New York, Inc. — $288,300
  • African Services Committee, Inc. — $288,300
  • The Legal Aid Society — $288,300
  • New York Council on Adoptable Children, Inc. — $78,693