Federal Funding Termination Puts Life-Affirming LGBTQ/SGL Health Services Across Maryland at Risk
- Jaycees Parajuli
- Jan 14
- 2 min read
Baltimore, MD — The Pride Center of Maryland (PCOM) announced today that more than $2 million dollars in federal funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has been abruptly terminated, effective immediately. The loss is already disrupting essential health, prevention, and community care services for LGBTQ and same-gender-loving (SGL) people across the state.
The terminated funding supports PCOM’s Community Clinic and critical wellness and prevention programming, including HIV status-neutral services, Hepatitis C testing and linkage to treatment, STI screening and referrals, harm-reduction-informed substance use disorder (SUD) care, and community outreach focused on preventing HIV transmission and reducing substance-related harm. These services are delivered across the state of Maryland, reaching communities that are often underserved and overlooked.
“We are heartbroken,” said Dr. Cleo Manago, CEO of The Pride Center of Maryland. “This funding loss is already limiting access to care for people who rely on us for safety, stability, and survival. These are not abstract programs; they are lifelines.”
As a direct result of the funding termination, PCOM is now facing reductions in clinic capacity, outreach and prevention programming, and care coordination services if replacement funding is not secured. In 2024 alone, PCOM served more than 9,000+ people statewide, and the organization reports that the loss is already constraining its ability to meet community needs.
While the impact is being felt immediately in Maryland, PCOM leaders warn that this decision reflects a broader national crisis.
“This doesn’t just impact one organization,” Manago said. “At a moment when Affordable Care Act protections are under renewed threat, pulling prevention and treatment funding deepens an already dangerous gap in access to care. When funding disappears overnight, those gaps widen, and our neighbors, families, and communities are the ones who fall through them.”
PCOM emphasized that while the funding loss is devastating, the organization remains committed to continuing its work and is calling on the public to act.
How the Public Can Help
Donate to help stabilize critical services
Amplify PCOM’s call for equitable, sustained funding
Contact elected officials to advocate for continued investment in LGBTQ/SGL health and prevention services
“This is a moment that demands urgency and collective action,” said Manago. “Our community deserves care, dignity, and continuity, and we are committed to protecting all three.”
About The Pride Center of Maryland: The Pride Center of Maryland (PCOM) is the state’s leading LGBTQ/SGL health, wellness, and community care organization, providing affirming services, prevention programming, and advocacy across Maryland. PCOM works to ensure LGBTQ/SGL people have access to care, connection, and resources that support health, dignity, and survival.
Media Contact:
Danielle Lewis
The Pride Center of Maryland