Youth activists sound the alarm on the impact of proposed budget cuts

Outreach Leader Devin Escobar passing out fliers in the Castro.

SAN FRANSISCO, CA (June 26, 2009) – The Campaign to End AIDS Youth Action Institute in conjunction with the Iris Center, are hosting a public informational demonstration today, June 26th at the Plaza located in Castro District. The purpose of the event is designed to speak out against proposed budget cuts scheduled to eliminate crucial HIV prevention and services for San Francisco and Bay area residents. At this event, young HIV & AIDS activists from across the country and around the world will educate the community and disperse pamphlets outlining the impact of the cuts and ways to contact local key decision makers in the allocation process.

These cuts will impact important services such as case management, housing services, and medication assistance for those living with HIV in the Bay area community. Additionally, these cuts will impact an array of essential programs such as mental health counseling, drug and alcohol recovery, child care and counseling services of those who are HIV negative or positive.

Specifically, the Iris Center (www.iriscenter.org) provides essential resources to women of color who would immensely be afflicted if these proposed cuts would occur. These vital, low costs health care programs would be drastically limited leaving few alternatives for these underserved individuals. The proposed cuts will disproportionately affect women of color and the target population relying on these resources and services.

About IRIS Center

Founded in 1977, the mission of the IRIS Center is to provide high-quality prevention, education, and behavioral health services to uninsured/underinsured women and their families living in underserved communities. The Center reaches more than 7,000 high-risk women each year through its various prevention and treatment programs. The IRIS Center is the only provider of its kind for women of color in San Francisco. For more information about the IRIS Center visit www.iriscenter.org.

About The Campaign To End AIDS

The Campaign to End AIDS (C2EA) is a diverse, exciting coalition of people demanding that our leaders exert the political will to stop the epidemic, in the U.S. and abroad, once and for all. The Youth Action Institute (YAI) is a youth subset whos purpose is to educate and eradicate the pandemic amongst the youth population. For more information about the C2EA, please call 1-877-END-AIDS (363-2437).

California HIV/AIDS Statistics

- In 2006 the reporting system changed from non-name coding to name reporting. Based on this new system, there have been a total of 36,412 reported cases of HIV.*

- In Alameda County there have been a total of 1,062 cases of HIV and 7,587 cases of AIDS.

- In Berkeley alone there have been 46 cases of HIV and 630 reports of AIDS.*

- In San Francisco there have been 5,215 cases of HIV and 28,179 cases of AIDS since reporting began.*

- San Francisco County ranks second in CA for the number of HIV cases with 5,215 and for the number of AIDS cases with 28,179.*

*Source California Office of AIDS April 2009 Monthly HIV/AIDS Statistics Report.

C2EA recommends one-year-only Ryan White extension to speed reform; White House’s Crowley says change is coming

National Secretary Marsha Jones and C2EA say the time for Ryan White reform is now—not three years down the road.

The Campaign to End AIDS (C2EA) released its position paper on a re-authorizing the Ryan White Treatment Modernization Act this week. The national coalition of people living with HIV and AIDS recommended that the legislation only be extended for one year, with specific benchmarks regarding preparations for integrating Ryan White into fast approaching federal health-care reforms and President Obama’s promised National AIDS Strategy.

Read the position paper

The existing Ryan White legislation sunsets on September 30. “Ryan White has always been an imperfect approach to fighting AIDS in the U.S. and now we know that health care reform is coming,” said C2EA National Secretary Marsha Jones. “It is absolutely essential that the AIDS community limit the Ryan White extension to one year with a focus on rewriting the legislation. If we extend it for three to four years, as many advocates would like, we are going to get left behind.”

C2EA leaders worry that based on the current Ryan White legislation and funding system, community-based organizations that depend upon Ryan White funding are not prepared to work with Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurers, all of which are likely to be key players in the impending healthcare reform landscape.

Crowley: Change is coming

Housing Works Vice President of National Advocacy and Organizing Christine Campbell says that Jones’ concerns echo what has been coming out of the White House.

“In my conversations with [Office of National AIDS Policy Director] Jeffrey Crowley, Crowley has made it very clear that the AIDS community needs to be prepared for major changes, especially being ready to work with Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurers,” said Campbell. “Improving the flexibility of Ryan White is important step in making sure that happens.”

C2EA has proposed three benchmarks that would ensure a smooth transition to a new health care era:

- By month one of the extension, the creation of a bipartisan committee tasked with ensuring effective links between Ryan White and health care reform.

- By month six, development of reworked Ryan White language that includes strategies for meeting the needs—such as health care access and substance abuse services—of people living with HIV AIDS, including but not limited to women of color, ethnic minorities who identify as MSM and people living in rural areas.

- By month nine, completed draft legislation reflecting the work of the bipartisan committee.

For more information regarding C2EA’s effort to improve Ryan White and ensure that community-based AIDS organizations are ready for health care reform, contact Campbell at campbell@housingworks.org.

Isaac Henry from C2EA/Dallas

Hundreds of people living with HIV/AIDS from around the country meet up in Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress—about legislation that, for the first time in eight years, actually has a chance of being signed into law.

Top priorities this year include lifting the ban on federal funding for syringe exchange and pushing the Early Treatment for HIV Act (ETHA).

Activists and advocates aren’t just going to sit back and wait for politicians to do the right thing. The rally at Freedom Plaza was called “We’re Watching—And Tired Of Waiting!” dozens of activists from throughout the country are holding leaders accountable for ending the epidemic in both Washington, D.C. and throughout the country. The diverse group of speakers addressed the need for the involvement of people living with AIDS in crafting a National AIDS Strategy and a D.C. AIDS strategy. The rally was organized by the Campaign to End AIDS, DC Fights Back, and NAPWA.

“We need our elected officials to hear us loud and clear that we’re going to hold them accountable,” said Housing Works National Field Organizer Larry Bryant.

The rally also promoted NAPWA’s efforts to renew the Denver Principles. The Denver Principles Project is an effort by NAPWA to empower and connect people living with HIV/AIDS. The movement renews the Denver Principles that were created 25 years ago by HIV-positive activists who demanded respect, dignity and a say in their health care. The Denver Principles Project will combine individual voices of PWAs to form a collective and powerful single voice.

June 27
An estimated 250,000 people in the United States have HIV and are not aware of it. National HIV Testing Day is an opportunity for people nationwide to learn their HIV status, and to gain knowledge to take control of their health and their lives. The National Association of People with AIDS is the lead for this day.

For more info, go to http://www.hhs.gov/aidsawarenessdays/days/testing/index.html.

July 20-21, Washington, DC
The ADAP Advocacy Association in partnership with the Community Access National Network (CANN) – formerly the Title II Community AIDS National Network - the purpose of the conference is to call attention to early HIV/AIDS diagnosis, care and treatment.

For more info, please go to http://www.adapadvocacyassociation.org/events.html.