Over $1 million in state funding for a local HIV/AIDS organization is being held up while the Illinois Department of Public Health ( IDPH ) reviews how the organization spends its money.
The head of Let's Talk, Let's Test Foundation ( LTLTF ) , Lloyd Kelly, said his agency should have received $1.2 million in state money overseen by the state health department nine months ago. IDPH is holding on to the state money, which comes through the African-American HIV/AIDS Response Act, while it reviews how LTLTF spent taxpayers' dollars last fiscal year.
IDPH spokeswoman Melaney Arnold said reviewing how a grantee spends its funds is 'not an uncommon practice.'
'As far as reviewing documents, we just want to make sure the grantee has fulfilled its grant agreement and done what they said what they will and what the documents show,' Arnold said. 'Basically, at this point, we are just reviewing.'
LTLTF's state funding comes through the African-American HIV/AIDS Response Act, which was signed into law in 2005. The act was created by State Rep. Connie Howard in direct response to the disproportionate rates of HIV/AIDS in the African-American community, which Kelly likens to 'genocide.'
The act and fund was also created, Kelly said, with the intent of approaching prevention work in the African American community differently, because traditional strategies were not working, and focus heavily on prevention, as opposed to treatment. Kelly said that LTLTF has also been working hard to reach people 'where they are.'
Arnold would not verify the amount of spending in question, or what items were under review, and just reiterated that the department is 'reviewing documents.'
Kelly told Windy City Times that in May, he received a letter from the department containing questions regarding roughly $100,000 in expenditures. Kelly said that in hopes of speeding up the process, he gave them copies of checks and other documents.
'I have nothing to hide,' Kelly said.
In addition to the letter LTLTF received months ago, Kelly said the organization received a letter about two weeks ago, which stated that IDPH is still reviewing the information LTLTF sent to them. He was also informed that they won't receive funds until the review is completed. There has been no request to hold a meeting with the organization.
Kelly said that he is concerned that the department has not asked to meet with LTLTF.
'We are seriously in the dark,' Kelly said. 'They are holding up the money, and I don't even know why.'
Kelly told Windy City Times that the painstaking process has taken a toll on the organization. LTLTF has had financial difficulties in the past, such as running out of funding to rehab a South Side apartment building. LTLTF also owes money to some contractors and employees. Kelly told Windy City Times that he had even gone without pay for a long period of time because he puts the issue of HIV/AIDS in the African-American community before himself. The current situation, he said, has been putting a lot of additional stress on the organization.
Meanwhile, Kelly said some lenders have helped keep LTLTF running while the health department continues to hold state funding.
The health department said that since each case is individual, no timeline could be given on how much longer the process will take. Arnold told Windy City Times that if LTLTF is found to be fulfilling its grant agreement, and if they have another upcoming grant, the department will proceed with that.
'If there are items that raise questions, we certainly work to get those answers revolved and go from there,' Arnold said.
Arnold said that a potential meeting between the department and LTLTF is a possibility, but nothing is for certain because they are still in the review aspect of the process.
