Press Release A Letter to President Obama, in Response to Release of National AIDS StrategyKawata Says, "The Blueprint Is There ... But Now Attention Must Shift to Resources."
July 13, 2010 Washington, D.C. -- Paul Kawata, Executive Director of the National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC) responds to Tuesday's release of the National AIDS Strategy with a letter to President Obama: Honorable Barack H. Obama Dear President Obama, In the first 18 months of your administration the travel ban on those living with HIV was removed, restrictions on the use of federal funds to support needle exchange were removed, the Ryan White Care Act was reauthorized, and $30.4 Million was set aside as part of the Prevention and Wellness Fund for HIV/AIDS Prevention. However, we've also had our challenges in ensuring adequate funding for PEPFAR and other international HIV/AIDS initiatives. As you implement the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS), we ask that the first thing you address is the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) funding crisis. We appreciate the $25 million to see us through September 30, 2010; however, we are concerned that is not a long term solution and will only get us through a limited period. As of July 8th, 2010, 2291* Individuals are on the waiting list. This number does not include individuals in states that either don't keep waiting lists, have significantly reduced the drug formulary or have significantly changed the income eligibility levels. On July 1st, Georgia became the 12th state to close enrollment and start a waiting list. Ohio changed its income eligibility levels so that more then 1000 HIV/AIDS patients will lose their benefits. New Jersey also changed its income eligibility levels so that 947 HIV/AIDS patients will lose their benefits. Without an immediate solution, other states will follow. As you consider solutions, please make it
We look forward to the reviewing the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and the opportunity to work with your administration to ensure its implementation across the country. Thank you for your support and leadership. Sincerely, 2 God B The Glory, Inc A Brave New Day A Family Affair ACT UP Philadelphia Action for a Better Community Advocates For Youth African American Hispanic Health Education Resource Center AID For AIDS Nevada AIDS Alabama AIDS Alliance for Children, Youth & Families AIDS Care Services, Inc AIDS Community Research Initiative of America AIDS Foundation of Chicago AIDS/HIV Services Group (ASG) The AIDS LIFE Campaign AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin AIDS Project of Central Iowa AIDS Resources of Rural Texas AIDS Treatment Activists Coalition (ATAC) Albany Damien Center Amanda Beck-Myers Ananias Anxiety Disorders Association of America Asian Media Access Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum San Francisco, CA Asian & Pacific Islander Coalition on HIV/AIDS Asian & Pacific Islander Wellness Center Aspirations Wholistic Tutorial Services Baton Rouge AIDS Society Bienestar Human Services Black AIDS Institute The Black Women's Health Imperative Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS Paul Browne CAEAR Coalition CALOR Camden NJ Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Camillus Health Concern, Inc. CARES CareSouth Carolina Cascade AIDS Project Central City AIDS Network, Inc. Central Illinois FRIENDS of People with AIDS CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers William H. Chastang Christie's Place, Inc. Citywide Project/Citywide Ministries Coai, Inc Community Access National Network Community HIV/AIDS Mobilization Project (CHAMP) Community Information Center, Inc Comprehensive Health Education Connecticut AIDS Resource Coalition DeKalb Prevention Alliance, Inc Desert AIDS Project Gregory W. Edwards, EdD Eternal Hope Community Development Corporation, Inc. Family Health Project Family Planning Association of Puerto Rico F.L.A.S., INC. Houston, TX Fort Worth Northside Community Health Center, Inc. Greater Love Tabernacle Gregory House Programs GROUP Ministries, inc. Harlem United Community AIDS Center Harmony House, Inc. Hawaii Island HIV/AIDS Foundation Hermanas de Luna y Sol HEROES HIV/AIDS Alliance for Region Two, Inc. HIV/AIDS Services for African Americans in Alaska HIV-AIDS UETS HIV Care Program HIVictorious, Inc. HIV Planning Council Santa Clara County Housing Works Illinois Alliance for Sound AIDS Policy Iris House Johns Hopkins Local Performance Site Monica Johnson Lambda Legal Lark Lands, M.S., Ph.D. The LaStraw, Inc Latino Commission on AIDS Latino Community Services, Helen Lemay Liberty Research Group Don Little, MPH The Living Room LMPHW Specialty Clinic Love Heals, the Alison Gertz Foundation for AIDS Education Lower East Side Harm Reduction Center Kentucky HIV/AIDS Advocacy Action Group Michigan Positive Action Coalition (MI-POZ) Minnesota AIDS Project Minority AIDS Council of Orangeburg, Bamberg, and Calhoun Council, Inc. Missoula AIDS Council MOCHA Center Inc. Multicultural AIDS Coalition, Inc. The NAMES Project/AIDS Memorial Quilt Native Health National African American Drug Policy Coalition, Inc. National AIDS Fund National AIDS Housing Coalition National Association of People with AIDS National Association of Social Workers National Latino AIDS Action Network National Minority AIDS Council National Native American AIDS Prevention Center NCLR/CSULB Center for Latino Community Health, Evaluation and Leadership Training New Jersey Women and AIDS Network New Destiny Recovery Ministry New York AIDS Coalition New York City AIDS Housing Network (NYCAHN) Nightsweats & T-cells, Co North Carolina Harm Reduction Coalition Oklahoma City Indian Clinic One Heartland One Love Project Open Door Clinic Leonardo Ortega David G. Ostrow, MD, PhD Partnership Project Choyce Perkinds Positive Efforts, Inc Project Aware at Stanley Street Treatment & Resources PROCEED, Inc. Project HANDLE, Neighborhood House Project Lazarus Project Link of South Florida, Inc. Proyecto SOL Filadelfia Puerto Rico Community Network for Clinical Research on AIDS (PR CoNCRA) Andre Weatherby Rawls Recovery 2000, Inc. Redemption Outreach Intl Regional AIDS Project Genevieve Rohan, FNP-C, AAHIVMS and Tegest Hailu, MD, AAHIVMS, Hailu/Rohan Family Practice SAYFSM Vanessa Sasso Seattle HIV/AIDS Planning Council Shanti S.H.A.P.E. (Stop HIV/AIDS and Addiction through Prevention and Education) Carlton R. Smith South Carolina Campaign to End AIDS (SC-C2EA) South Central Educational Development, Inc South Jersey AIDS Alliance South LA Access Center Southern AIDS Coalition (SAC) Southwest Louisiana AHEC Stanley Street Treatment & Resources Street Works St. Luke AME Church/ Treat Me Right Inc. Suburban HIV/AIDS Consortium (SHAC)
TACTS-THE Association of Clinical Trials Services Tampa-Hillsborough Action Plan C. Taylor Ti-chee Native AIDS Prevention Project Rose Todd-Stanford Total Health Awareness Team Treat Me Right Inc. Treatment Access Expansion Project Treatment Action Group Two Spirit Society of Denver U Can Do It 2! Evelyn Ullah Us Helping Us Valley AIDS Information Network Inc. Vermont CARES VillageCare Volunteers of America Greater Baton Rouge West County Health Centers, Inc. Who's Positive Willis Center The Women's Collective Women's Health Center Women Together For Change Women Watch Afrika, Inc. ![]()
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