A shift in federal funding for HIV and AIDS agencies to rural areas could leave urban New Jersey patients with less care.

Steve Scheuermann, director of Buddies in Hackensack, an HIV/AIDS resource center, said the shift in federal funds under the Ryan White CARE Act, approved in December, helps rural areas at the expense of urban locales like his.

He fears that patients in urban locales will progress to full-blown AIDS much quicker without the care.

Scheuermann added that the Act was established to provide funding for the neediest patients, but now his neediest clients are facing service cuts.

Some of services that face cuts are transportation, housing, legal fees, support groups and meeting space.

Scheuermann said he was told the fund shift was made because officials believed the disease is moving to rural areas. However, he said, ?HIV/AIDS has not moved?it?s spread.?

Related Information:Buddies of New Jersey, Inc.