Principles for Ryan White CARE Act Reauthorization

The Ryan White CARE Act works, and it must be reauthorized.
People living with HIV, especially consumers of CARE Act services, must be a central part of the reauthorization process and provide continued input into CARE Act planning.
The existing CARE Act title structure must be maintained to provide the ability to target policies and resources to diverse populations impacted by the AIDS epidemic.
The CARE Act must address current, evolving and ongoing emergency needs of people living with HIV and AIDS and the organizations that serve them.
- Many people with HIV/AIDS are living longer.
- Many people living with HIV/AIDS need access to more treatment and medical support services.
Community planning, coordination with health care systems and local decision-making are central to the success of CARE Act programs.
A comprehensive range of services should be supported; including HIV testing, prevention counseling, treatment and supportive services, which must be available in sufficient quantities, appropriate to local need.
CARE Act funding and program guidance must continue to take into consideration that HIV/AIDS is a life threatening infectious disease that is an ongoing public health emergency.
The CARE Act must commit to:
- Strengthen and reenergize the Planning Councils and Consortia
- Address geographic variability and stabilize necessary and effective systems of care
- Reinvest in maintenance and expansion of service capacity, targeted education and training of health care providers (AETCs), including continuing medical education and systems improvement projects.
The AIDS Drug Assistance Program must remain an essential component of the CARE Act.