Act Up DC

In an era when the President of the United States could not even manage to say the word 'AIDS', community activists showed the power of non-violent direct action to push our government and our elected officials to action. Act Up Chapters here in DC and around the country played a profoundly important role in pushing for change. Several local chapters, like Act Up NYC and Act Up Philly are still very active in the fight against HIV.

The Act Up DC chapter, however, has been dormant for some time. I learned a little about Act Up DC by visiting The archive of the old Act Up DC website. I haven't had any luck getting in touch with past members on Act Up DC. If you were involved in ACT Up DC, please drop me a line, I'd love to talk to you. If ever there was a time for HIV/AIDS activism in the District of Columbia, the time is now. I hope that by learning about the history of HIV/AIDS activism here, we can begin to plan for the future.

Red Cross of the National Capital Area: Teen Voice

Teen Voice! is a program designed to increase awareness about HIV and AIDS among teenagers through peer education. The focus is both on learning the facts about HIV and AIDS and helping youth examine their own personal risk behaviors.

Peer educators are youth aged 14 and above who attend a 2 day training and then deliver presentations to their peers at various community based organizations and institutions. Adult program coordinators and mentors work closely with the peer educators to provide assistance and guidance in their peer-education pursuits as well as their development of life-skills.

Program Goals:

• To provide youth with an opportunity to gain through, factual knowledge about HIV and AIDS


• To encourage youth to examine their own personal risk behaviors and choices related to drug use and sexual activity, (by doing so, they will become empowered to make positive decisions relating to their health behavior)


• To increase awareness about HIV and AIDS among teenagers and young adults through peer education

Adult Mentors assist teenage educators in marketing TEEN VOICE! and scheduling presentations. They provide support and guidance during TEEN VOICE! sessions.

Contact Barbara Burns at 202-303-4523 or by e-mail to schedule a presentation or for more information about becoming a Peer Educator or Adult Mentor.

DC Debrief: 2006 International AIDS Conference

If you didn't get a chance to attend the International AIDS Conference this month, don't worry. The conference is coming to you. The Kaiser Family Foundation and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) will host a roundtable discussion on the policy, programmatic, and scientific outcomes of the conference to assess implications for the future. Lucky for us, this event takes place in DC. Jennifer Kates, vice president and director of HIV Policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation will moderate a panel discussion that will include:

• Helene Gayle, conference co-chair, outgoing president of the International AIDS Society and president and CEO of CARE USA.



• Todd Summers, senior policy officer for global health, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.



• J. Stephen Morrison, executive director, HIV/AIDS Task Force and director, Africa Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies.



• Phil Nieburg, senior associate, Center for Strategic and International Studies.

This event will take place Wednesday, September 6, 2006 from 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM at the Barbara Jordan Conference Center, Kaiser Family Foundation Building, 1330 G Street, NW, Washington, D.C. (one block west of Metro Center)

If you would like to attend this event please RSVP to Claire Pontius by e-mail or at (650) 854-9400 by Friday, September 1, 2006.

And if you want to read up on the conference a little before you come. There is some great information available on the Kaiser Family Foundation International AIDS Conference Website, and some great blogging at Time to Deliver.

HIV/AIDS Advocacy: DC Public Schools 101

The District of Columbia Public Schools HIV/AID Programs works to address issues related to HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases and unintended pregnancies in DC Public Schools. The DCPS HIV/AIDS Education Program is supported through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Adolescent School Health.

Two standing advisory groups provide input into the DC Public Schools HIV/AIDS Programs:

1. HIV/AIDS Program Review Panel: Mandated by the CDC cooperative agreement, the panel reviews HIV/AIDS curriculum as well as other HIV/AIDS outreach and educational materials. The panel is comprised of representatives from the DC Department of Health, private and voluntary health agencies, professional health organizations, parents, community groups, teachers, counselors, students and people living with HIV. The HIV/AIDS Program Review Panel meets at least twice each year.

2. HIV/AIDS YRBS Advisory Board: This Advisory Board provides input on the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). The YRBS is a survey of high school and middle school students conducted every two years, which collects valuable information about health-risk behaviors among youth including those that would put young people at risk for sexually transmitted diseases, HIV/AIDS, and unintended pregnancy.

Input from community members is crucial to both of these groups. If you are interested in getting involved in either the HIV/AIDS Program Review Panel or the HIV/AIDS YRBS Advisory Board please contact Deborah Brown at (202) 442-7860. More information is available at the DC Public Schools website.

The District of Columbia Public Schools HIV/AID Programs is currently working to improve youth involvement in HIV programming. Many community organizations with existing youth programs (i.e., . Peer Education, adolescent outreach, after school programs, etc.) may want to contact the project to explore partnership opportunities.

The program also works in collaboration with the DCPS Office of Academic Services to create a HIV supplemental curriculum framework for grades K-12. The framework is to be proposed for adoption this school year. Organizations may be interested in participating in roundtables that address learner outcomes, lesson planning, teacher professional development, and alignment with national standards. For more details, contact the HIV-AIDS Education Program at at (202) 442-7860.

Younger Women's Task Force Picnic

The Younger Women’s Task Force: DC Metro Chapter (YWTF: DC) will be calling attention to the rising HIV infection rate of women in the District of Columbia. YWTF: DC will be joined by nine community groups including The Whitman-Walker Clinic, The Women’s Collective, and the DC CARE Consortium in raising awareness of HIV/AIDS in Women and drawing attention to the resources available in Washington, DC.

The HIV/AIDS awareness event will be held on Saturday, September 9 from 2 – 4 p.m. at Meridian Hill Park at 15th and Euclid Streets.

The event is free and open to the public. Speakers from participating organizations will be presenting on prevention, treatment, and services available in the Washington, DC Metro Area. Whitman-Walker Clinic’s Mobile Testing Unit will be on-site to provide free HIV testing. Light refreshments will be provided to attendees. Attendees are encouraged to bring a picnic blanket or lawn chair.

For more information, visit the event website

The Younger Women's Task Force (YWTF) is a project of the National Council of Women’s Organizations (NCWO) and is a nationwide, diverse and inclusive, grassroots movement dedicated to organizing younger women and their allies to take action on issues that matter most to them. YWTF: DC Metro chapter is committed to activism and outreach on younger women’s issues in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area. Please reference our website at www.ywtf.org for more information.

Pets-DC

Pets-DC enables people living with HIV/AIDS to maintain and care for their pets. Pets-DC provides public health education, exercise, pet food, veterinary care, grooming, foster care, and adoption services at no cost to individuals in the Metropolitan Washington area.

Many people with HIV/AIDS live alone and having a pet supports them living independently. A pet’s love and affection are unconditional and everlasting. That love is a very important part of the emotional support network of persons living with HIV/AIDS; yet many of Pets-DC’s clients experience financial and physical barriers, making it difficult to care for their pets. Pets-DC seeks to fill in the gaps between other AIDS-service providers and animal-related organizations, and to address the particular health-related needs of pet owners with HIV/AIDS in the metropolitan Washington, DC area. Pets-DC’s mission is to assist by providing public health education, volunteer, financial, and advocacy resources.

Hundreds of dedicated volunteers assist clients in obtaining: public health education, veterinary care, in-home pet care (e.g. dog-walking, feeding, litter box care, cage/tank cleaning), pet food and supplies, housing advocacy, foster pet care, grooming care, and pet adoption services. In addition to serving clients, the public health education program offers assistance to other health care providers such as physicians, nurses, and other AIDS service agencies.

HIV/AIDS Advocacy: City Council 101

The DC City Council generally meets the first Tuesday of each month beginning at 10:00 a.m. in the Council Chamber. All Council sessions are open to the public and are broadcast live and repeated on the Council cable channel, City Cable 13. Committee public hearings held in the Chamber are also broadcast.

The Council offers free subscription to the weekly mailing of the Calendar of the Week. In addition to the schedule of upcoming Council and committee meetings, the Calendar includes a list of bills introduced and committee referrals; bills adopted by the Council, and bills that have become law. To get on the mailing list, call 724-8000. The Calendar is available on line. (for more info on public participation in City Council meetings, click here).

he council has twelve sub-committees. Council standing committees meet once or twice a month on regularly scheduled days. Most of the work on HIV/AIDS is done in the the Committee on Health, which is chaired by David Catania. The other members of this committee are: Jim Graham, Phil Mendelson, Harry Thomas, and Marrion Barry.

The Committee on Health has oversight of the Department of Health, and the HIV/AIDS Administrations (which is part of the Department of Health).

Job Openings at the Women's Collective

The Women's Collective currently has three job openings. They are looking for a Prevention Program Coordinator, a Care Management Program Coordinator, and an HIV Tester/Outreach Worker. The Womens Collective is a Washington DC-based nonprofit organization led by women with HIV and their allies/advocates. The Mission of The Womens Collective is to meet the self-defined needs of women and their families living with and at risk for HIV/AIDS, reducing barriers to care and strengthening their network of support and services. For more information:

• Prevention Program Coordinator: The Prevention Program Coordinator will be responsible for the overall direction of all TWC HIV prevention services including implementing, monitoring and evaluating our HIV prevention program. The Prevention Program Coordinator will work directly with team members from several programs to ensure quality programming for women at risk for HIV/AIDS, their partner(s) and self-defined family members. The Prevention Program Coordinator carries out all appropriate tasks related to the provision of quality prevention programming; will empower women with HIV prevention strategies, secondary prevention education and risk reduction information; while ensuring team members are supported through training and team development that will enhance their knowledge and skills. For more information: Click Here.
  
• Care Management Program Coordinator: The Care Management Program Coordinator will be responsible for the overall direction of all TWC HIV care management services including implementing, monitoring and evaluating our HIV care management program. The Care Management Program Coordinator will work directly with team members from several programs to ensure quality programming for women living with HIV/AIDS, their partner(s) and self-defined family members. The Care Management Program Coordinator will also conduct a family-centered case management with a case load, will carry out all appropriate tasks related to the provision of case management and empower women with HIV treatment strategies, secondary prevention education and risk reduction information. For more information: Click Here.
  
• HIV Tester/Outreach Worker: The HIV Tester/Outreach will conduct program activities that include outreach at community hot spots and other venues to reach high risk Black women and their partner(s) with HIV testing and prevention information. The HIV Tester/Outreach will conduct HIV counseling, testing and referral activities. CTRS is conducted with OraQuick Advance via a mobile unit and at venues throughout the District of Columbia including at TWC. For more information Click Here.
  

Deadline Approaches for DC HIV Prevention Community Planning Group Applications

The District of Columbia HIV Prevention Community Planning Group (CPG), in collaboration with the Department of Health, Administration for HIV Policy and Programs, invites residents of the District, members of community based organizations, universities, faith organizations, professional associations, businesses, AIDS service providers and social service providers to apply for membership. A broad variety of representatives is needed to ensure that the CPG truly reflects the diversity of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Washington, DC.

The CPG seeks residents of the District of Columbia who are capable of expressing the views, behaviors, and norms of their community, while participating as group members in objectively weighing the overall priority HIV prevention needs of the DC community.

MEETING REQUIREMENTS

Each member of the CPG is appointed for a two-year term and is expected to demonstrate commitment to the work of the CPG during their tenure. Members are required to attend all meetings and committee activities and engage in meaningful participation. The CPG meets regularly on the second Thursday of each month from 6 pm to 8 pm. Meetings are held at various sites in the community throughout the city. CPG members shall also be active members of at least one standing committee of the CPG, which will require approximately four additional hours of service each month. The time and location of Standing Committee meetings are determined by the membership. New members are required to attend a one-day orientation before they are eligible to vote on the CPG.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Submit completed applications to:

Donald Babb
Department of Health
Administration for HIV Policy and Programs
64 New York Avenue NE, Suite 5001
Washington, DC 20002

Questions should be directed to (202) 671-5087, Fax Number (202) 671-4860.
A copy of the applicant’s most recent resume’ may be submitted with the application, but will not be a substitute for a completed application. Current members of the CPG and the Administration for HIV Policy and Programs will review applications.

You can download the application form as a PDF File on the DC Department of Health website right here.

The Deadline is August 31st.

Us Helping Us Café 3636

From Us Helping Us:


Café 3636
Welcome to Fridays at Café 3636, the re-awakening of Friday evening activities hosted by Us Helping Us. This month the café will meet in the conference room on the first floor. Feel free to use the front door. Fridays at 3636 is open to everybody in GLBTQ and Heterosexual communities. Tell your friends, bring your friends.

Friday, August 25, 2006
3636 Georgia Ave, NW
Washington DC 20010
202-446-1100
7:00 - 9:00 pm

Activities will include:

• Discussion Group, Informational Sessions
  
• Film/Discussion
  
• Dating Game, Role Play, Games Night
  
• Treasure Hunt, Battleship, Surveys and Focus Group
  Theme-wear Night

Founded in 1985, Us Helping Us, People Into Living, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) community-based AIDS service organization committed to reducing HIV infection in the African-American community by providing HIV prevention and support services to gay and bisexual men, and transgender persons. UHU also provides HIV counseling and testing for heterosexual men and women.

DC Mayor's Comments on Blood Donation Fall Short

Last week DC Mayor Anthony Williams urged residents in Washington, DC to donate blood. In a press release, he stated: "Donating blood only takes a few minutes but could help save someone’s life. I ask people to either donate themselves or remind a family member or a friend to give blood. The supply of blood at our local hospitals is dangerously low. Trauma victims, premature infants, cancer patients and people with blood disease are among the many patients who depend on a steady blood supply to survive."

What he neglected to mention, is that a large number of DC residents are unable to donate blood, because of an outdated, and frankly bigoted policy. All men who self-identify as gay, regardless of whether or not they are at risk for HIV, are banned from donating blood. That's right. A straight man who has had multiple sexual partners may likely be eligible to donate blood but a gay man who is in a long term monogamous relationship and not at risk for HIV, is not allowed to donate blood, simply because of who he is.

I will allow for the possibility that there was a medical justification for this guideline when it was implemented in the eighties, but today it is simply wrong, and sends the wrong message to DC residents about who is at risk for becoming HIV positive.

Current guidelines prohibit men from giving blood if they have had sexual contact with another male, even once, since 1977. The policy was first implemented in the mid 1980's, out of concern about the high rate of HIV/AIDS among men who have sex with men.

LGBTI Health organizations have repeatedly expressed their disagreement with the FDA guidelines over the years. The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) first passed a resolution in 1997 which describes the policy as "not scientifically justified and counterproductive to ensuring that adequate supplies of blood products are available throughout the nation"

The GLMA statement continues: "many gay and bisexual men experience personal frustration and shame by being unfairly stigmatized in work and social settings due to this erroneous regulation."

One such individual is Charles McMoore. Moore, a gay man in a committed relationship, was prevented from donating blood at his workplace in Washington DC. In 1998 McMoore filed a sexual orientation discrimination complaint against the Red Cross with the District of Columbia Human Rights Commission. The matter was eventually settled privately.

The GLMA resolution calls on the FDA "to reflect equivalent standards of evaluating homosexual and heterosexual sex risks with regards to safety of blood donations; and allow HIV negative persons with low risk behaviors, regardless of sexual orientation, the opportunity to fully exercise the civic responsibility of donating blood."

Mayor Williams, maintaining the blood supply is important. But you can't mention this issue without mentioning how blood donation guidelines impact gay men in the District; and how those same misguided policies are responsible for the blood shortage in the first place.

Race for Council Chair: Vincent Gray

The following is an excerpt from the Responses of Vincent Gray to GLAA 2006 Questionnaire for DC Council Candidates

5. Do you agree that the drive to make HIV testing routine among District residents should include funding for counseling and referrals to treatment facilities for those testing positive?

Yes. Counseling and referral to treatment, where it is necessary, are the basic hallmarks of a good public strategy to stem the tide of HIV. As a member of the Health Committee and former executive director of Covenant House, I have been a strong supporter of HIV testing programs. These programs, however, work best when an individual is given the appropriate counseling. If the person is HIV-negative then s/he should be linked to prevention services that will support their behavior to remain so. If the person is HIV-positive, then s/he should be directly linked to health care and prevention services to preserve health and reduce risky behavior.

6. Are you committed to continuing and expanding the District’s condom distribution program?

Yes. HIV is one of our city's leading health crises. Condoms are an effective and scientifically proven method of reducing the risk of HIV infection and other sexually transmitted diseases. I support all efforts to make them more widely available and will continue to do so. HIV is particularly devastating to our young men and women and is one of the District's leading causes of early death. I believe that we must support not only condom distribution, but also sexual health education that especially will help our young people make decisions that will keep them healthy.

7. The District is being forced by the federal government to switch from a unique identifier system to a names reporting system for people testing positive for HIV. Will you support legislation to strengthen our medical privacy laws, such as by creating a private right of action for those whose confidentiality is violated by District government employees or contractors?

Yes. I support strong enforcement of federal HIPAA laws and other health privacy laws. I will work with the community to strengthen these laws where warranted. District Government employees who violate confidentiality or privacy regulations should be terminated. Contractors should adhere to these same standards. Additionally, I will work to strengthen our contractors' obligations and procedures to protect the privacy of our citizens seeking care while also protecting our social service and health care agencies from increases in medical liability which could drive these much needed agencies out of business.

Race for Council Chair: Kathy Patterson

The following is an excerpt from the Responses of Kathy Patterson to GLAA 2006 Questionnaire for DC Council Candidates

5. Do you agree that the drive to make HIV testing routine among District residents should include funding for counseling and referrals to treatment facilities for those testing positive?

Definitely yes. It is important for people to know their HIV status, but is even more important to help people know what to do if they test HIV-positive: how to protect themselves and their partners from infection or re-infection, and how to protect their health through treatment. The need to link HIV-positive people to counseling and treatment is particularly urgent now that there are more effective anti-retroviral therapies that can help keep HIV in check. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, at least 50 percent of those living with HIV are not receiving care. This is unacceptable. Those who test HIV-positive must be made aware of the treatment options and helped to gain access to life-prolonging medications.

6. Are you committed to continuing and expanding the District’s condom distribution program?

Yes. Condom distribution is an important method of preventing the spread of sexually-transmitted diseases, including HIV. Although there is valid concern about encouraging premature sexual activity among young people, studies have consistently shown that the provision of condoms does not increase sexual activity. I support continuing and expanding the District’s condom distribution program as part of a broader effort to provide effective sex and HIV education programs and to educate young people about all of the options, including abstinence from sexual activity until they are physically and emotionally ready. I am also working with the Board of Education and Metro TeenAIDS to institute a stronger, comprehensive sex education program in our schools.

7. The District is being forced by the federal government to switch from a unique identifier system to a names reporting system for people testing positive for HIV. Will you support legislation to strengthen our medical privacy laws, such as by creating a private right of action for those whose confidentiality is violated by District government employees or contractors?

Yes. To avoid a very significant loss of federal funds provided through the Ryan White CARE Act, the District must switch to a names reporting system this fall. The violation of confidentiality for those who test positive for HIV can have very serious consequences, including the loss of a job or other forms of discrimination. Moreover, a breach of confidentiality will harm not only those individuals whose information has been improperly disclosed, but will also discourage others from coming forward to get tested for HIV. Encouraging people to get tested and treated for HIV is of prime importance. Therefore, I would support an effort to review and strengthen our medical privacy laws to protect those whose confidentiality is violated by District government employees or contractors.

What Will it Take to Break the Cycle of HIV in DC?

Executive Summary

The District of Columbia Administration for HIV Policy and Programs develops a comprehensive plan every three years to improve programs for those in need of HIV-related care in the District. The Comprhensive Plan for 2006-2008 is organized into the following four sections: 1) Assesment of Needs; 2)Continuum of Care; 3)Building on Quality; and 4)Goals, Objectives, Monitor, and Evaluate.

In the first section of this Plan, the District of Columbia demographic and epidemiological profiles are described in detail to illustrate the impact of HIV disease on the city. As related to epidemiological profiles, the most current data availble are presented as HIV disease incidence and prevalence among racial and ethnic groups, gender, age, and modes of HIV transmissioncategories. In addition, a summary of the District's geographical data as linked to HIV disease and social economic indicators are presented. Then, in this section, there is a review of needs assessments that document HIV-related concerns and issues including those of specifric populations as well as those of prevention, care, and support providers.

The second section of the Comprehensive Plan describes the continuum of care for clients living in the District of Columbia. That continuum of care, as encapsulated within a health care system, is depicted through a discussion of: a)the current service delivery structure; b)the coordination of HIV-related services; c)the HIV health care and treatment funding; d)the care system; and e)the facilitation in accessing services.

The vision and mission fo the District of Columbia Department of Health Administration for HIV Policy and Programs, CARE Act services for 2006-2008 is discussed in the third section of this Plan. The journey is titled, "Building on Quality." Quality is the structural foundation by which the vision and mission include providing early access into care and prevention services via counseling and testing, while improving on the continuum of care through new initiatives that focus on special populations in need of outreach, prevention, and care services.

Perhaps the most important component of this document is the fourth section. It provides a road map for "Building on Quality." Within this section, the actual goals, objectives, and the system of monitoring and evaluating are framed within the areas of outreach, service, and coordination as a method of devising a functional plan to identify and address the HIV-related prevention, care, and support needs of persons living in the District of Columbia.

Download the entire report

Race for Mayor: Marie Johns on HIV/AIDS

The following is an excerpt from the Responses of Marie John to GLAA 2006 Questionnaire for DC Mayoral Candidates

8. Will you ensure that the drive to make HIV testing routine among District residents includes funding for counseling and referrals to treatment facilities for those who test positive?

YES
In my HIV/AIDS platform, I have already gone on record supporting increased “wrap around services for people who test positive for HIV.

To mark National HIV Testing day, I was publicly screened for HIV. I have pledged that as mayor to publicly get screened for HIV every 6 months as mayor. Hopefully this will continue the effort to de-stigmatize HIV screening and make it a part of routine healthcare.

Part of the challenge of delivering services and treatment to those living with HIV and those newly positive is due to the inefficiencies within the AHPP and the DC contracting and personnel policies. I have gone on record that I will elevate the Director of AHPP to Czar status. This will give this person direct access to the Mayor and the ability to cut through the red tape of personnel and procurement. This will have a tremendous impact on those organizations that are on the front line of providing services and treatment. This will also allow them to focus more on direct client contact instead of managing the AHPP bureaucracy.

I have also advocated a budget that treats people newly diagnosed and currently living with HIV as a total person and a budget that address all of their needs, where the priorities and spending are more centrally located instead of spread out all over the government. I will also insist that AHPP and DOH be more creative about sources of funds. We are all furious when we read press reports about federal money not being spent or funds that the government did not apply for. We will aggressively compete for every federal dollar. I will increase the budget for AHPP. This is a health crisis and our budget must reflect that.

9. Are you committed to continuing and strengthening the District’s condom distribution program?

YES
Condom distribution is a key element of any HIV Prevention program. At a recent DC Fights Back event, I was appalled to find that some groups wanting to conduct condom distribution had problems getting condoms from AHPP. As mayor, the city will invest in condoms and make them widely available. I will also work closely with the school system to develop an appropriate condom distribution program that makes them more easily available.

As you know condom distribution was highlighted as a failure of the city in the Appleseed Report. If in the first 6 months of my administration, AHPP has not made improvements in condom distribution, I will seek to find a contractor, possibly an existing community based organization to focus on this problem. There can be no impediment to condom distribution.

10. The District is being forced by the federal government to switch from a unique identifier system to a names reporting system for people testing positive for HIV. Will you support legislation to strengthen our medical privacy laws, such as by creating a private right of action for those whose confidentiality is violated by District government employees or contractors?

MAYBE
I do believe in medical privacy laws, and in general would favor ways to strengthen medical privacy rights. I want to use restraint in endorsing any specific method at this time. In order to be eligible for federal funds, the District is changing from the unique identifier to the names reporting method. Making the switch has been successful for the few remaining states using the unique identifier method. However, we must be very careful and have intensive oversight of this conversion process. I will ensure that this conversion receives the highest priority not only within AHPP but DOH in general. I can commit that I will hold all members of the government accountable for any breach on confidentiality.

Race for Mayor: Linda Cropp on HIV/AIDS

The following is an excerpt from the Responses of Linda Cropp to GLAA 2006 Questionnaire for DC Mayoral Candidates

8. Will you ensure that the drive to make HIV testing routine among District residents includes funding for counseling and referrals to treatment facilities for those who test positive?

Yes. As you know, a good testing program also requires good counseling and meaningful referrals for medical treatment if warranted. For persons who test negative, it’s important to reinforce safer sex and harm reduction behaviors. For persons who test positive, referring them to medical treatment is important – especially with the advent of effective new medications which can delay and/or prevent more serious medical ramifications of the infection. I also believe in leading by example – I myself have been tested as part of recent efforts to promote the District’s aggressive new testing program. As a former Chair of the Committee on Human Services, as Chairman of the Council, and as Mayor, I have been and will always be a champion of programs for the awareness of, prevention of, sensitivity to, and treatment and care for HIV/AIDS. I began the first real oversight of HIV/AIDS programs and funding in this city. I have publicly and effectively fought for condom availability and needle exchange programs. I have fought to expand medical care, access to pharmaceuticals and just about every other thing one can think of – and I will continue to fight alongside the community on this. The prevention, diagnosis and treatment of HIV/AIDS needs to be as commonplace as that of cancer, diabetes, or asthma – and every day we need to work together to break down the walls of social stigma and discrimination which continue to surround this public health crisis.

9. Are you committed to continuing and strengthening the District’s condom distribution program?

Yes. I think we all owe a debt of gratitude to the DC Appleseed Center for their report on HIV/AIDS in the District. It is quite clear our condom distribution efforts have been falling apart. GLAA is quite right that we need a comprehensive plan to make condoms available not only in health centers, but in our high schools, nightlife establishments, health clubs, and even hair salons. The accessibility of condoms is one of the chief guarantors of their use and people need to have free access to them – they are an absolutely essential prevention tool. Additionally, when I am Mayor I will declare a medical state of emergency regarding HIV/AIDS and I will work to ensure the District coordinates every resource and program, leverages every dollar we can get our hands on, and leaves no stone unturned to help identify every positive person in the District and get them into meaningful treatment. As you rightly cited in your agenda document, the numbers and statistics are staggering. Most importantly, these are people we are talking about. Taking an extremely aggressive tact in this fight on HIV/AIDS will in fact be using our dollars in the most resourceful way possible as treatment also has a preventative effect as studies have shown. Getting positive persons into treatment can help greatly reduce their viral load and assist in preventing additional infections in other people. In short, it’s a lot of bang for the buck. There are many examples I can cite from my tenure on the Council on my involvement in this fight – some of the most recent of course being fighting for our needle exchange program on Capitol Hill; I created the new Committee on Health which has focused the Council’s activity and oversight of this important area. I have fought to insure the District gets DOD pricing on HIV/AIDS medications and having that pharmacy network include such specialty operations as Whitman Walker’s own pharmacy, as well as two prominent private sector pharmacies known for their level of HIV/AIDS care and expertise. In short, I am not a person to toot my own horn, but I have been a champion in the area of fighting HIV/AIDS and as Mayor I will continue to soldier on.

10. The District is being forced by the federal government to switch from a unique identifier system to a names reporting system for people testing positive for HIV. Will you support legislation to strengthen our medical privacy laws, such as by creating a private right of action for those whose confidentiality is violated by District government employees or contractors?

Yes. The federal HIPPA statute has very strong privacy protections, but I seek your advice and suggestions on model legislation on a local level as well to make sure we have every guarantee that medical records are absolutely private – please be in touch with me about this. If a District employee violates our medical records privacy policies they will be fired. With respect to contractors, as you know, our community based service providers routinely work with such sensitive information. With your assistance and with expert help on the issue of medical privacy I would pursue strong privacy policies with contractors which are both legally enforceable and meaningful without putting the CBO’s at a huge legal liability risk which they may not be able to insure against – in short, it’s most likely an issue we will need to work together on, but I am confident there can be a fitting solution.

Race for Mayor: Adrian Fenty on HIV/AIDS

The following is an excerpt from the Responses of Adrian Fenty to GLAA 2006 Questionnaire for DC Mayoral Candidates

8. Will you ensure that the drive to make HIV testing routine among District residents includes funding for counseling and referrals to treatment facilities for those who test positive?

Yes. There is no more crucial issue in the health community than fighting the HIV/AIDS epidemic. There are many steps we must take to do this and my administration will attack this epidemic on many fronts. I have released a major statement on what will be my program as Mayor to deal with the epidemic of HIV/AIDS in the District of Columbia. It will include routine testing in accessible locations across the District and funding for the necessary counseling and referrals that those who test positive will need. It is one thing to test, but unless we go the second step to provide counseling and treatment we will not stem the tide of HIV/AIDS. I have committed to making this a major priority in my Administration and I will speak out at every occasion an every venue including to the faith community about this crisis in the District.

DC currently has the highest AIDS rate in the US. We have rates comparable to rates in Sub-Saharan Africa. With reported rate for AIDS in the District in 2002 of 162.4 per 100,000 compared to the 14.8per 100,000 in the US we are way behind in how we deal with this epidemic. And we don’t even know for sure about our rate of HIV because we have no reliable statistics on HIV infections despite six years of efforts by AHPP or its predecessor HAA.

It is only recently that the District has begun to treat HIV/AIDS as a serious problem. I support the work of Dr. Marsha Martin who is the current Director of AHPP for the tremendous steps she has taken in the short time she has lead this office.

My administration will continue to support GW University running the HIV epidemiological surveillance system for DC. And although I have always opposed using a names reporting system I believe we are now forced to use one because the Federal Government Ryan White reauthorization Act will require it and base allocation of funds on reported cases of both HIV and AIDS cases. Were we not to adopt this names reporting system DC could lose $5 million annually and with the epidemic proportions of HIV/AIDS in the District we can’t afford to lose any money that will help us deal with this health crisis. What I will insist on with this names reporting system is that we make doubly sure that we have stronger protections of privacy than we currently have and that the penalties for anyone breaching this privacy are strong enough to act as the deterrent they need to be.

I will instruct the Department of Health to review a sero-postive survey in parallel to the one recommended by the National Academy of Sciences ‘ Institute of Medicine Report which recommends that DCD create such a system to identify new HIV infections which will enable public health officials to track changes in the epidemic.

We will also review all our educational programs to see which ones are effective and which are not in our efforts to prevent new cases of HIV. We need to know what works and why if we are if we are ever to get a real handle on this epidemic. We need to provide the public with more information and this includes making information more accessible. That would include updating the AHPP website and make it more interactive. It should contain the most current information on HIV/AIDS and programs and services available to people in the District of Columbia. We also need to find ways to get this information out to members of our community who are not regularly on computers in ways in which they can access it.

My administration will continue the new testing program for HIV/AIDS. It will include testing in the DC Jail and investigating the legality and appropriateness of potentially moving HIV positive inmates into a separate ward. I believe that inmates need to be tested on admission and on departure to allow us to make sure that they enter programs that will work to prevent in jail transmission and serve them when they are back in the community.

I will look at what tests we require when we issue marriage licenses. The current mandated syphilis tests date back to pre- World War II days. We must look at the legality and efficacy of requiring tests for HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

My administration will work with the DC Hospital Association and the Department of Health to look at potentially providing Post Exposure prophylaxis (PEP) for HIV at all DC emergency rooms and urgent care centers and health clinics. We need to educate people know about PEP and that would include information being given in student health classes.

Clearly one of the proven ways to combat HIV/AIDS is to have strong needle exchange programs. I will continue to fight Congress on the annual budget rider preventing use of government funding for needle exchange. The organization set up in DC, Prevention Works, has been operating effectively for seven years but is clearly not enough to deal with this problem. My administration will immediately provide addition funds for needle exchange as soon as we can get the rider lifted.

Education, which is the number one priority of my administration, also includes educating the community about the dangers of HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. We will do this beginning with our children in school by supporting age appropriate sex education that is includes not just abstinence education but education about safe sex practices. We must begin to teach our children at an early age to accept and understand the diversity of our population, respect for each other, and how to live safe and healthy lives.

9. Are you committed to continuing and strengthening the District’s condom distribution program?

Yes. I believe that we must educate people that using condoms is really the only way to stop transmission of HIV when engaging in sex. I will support condom distribution programs and will work with organizations such as the Great American Condom Campaign to strengthen our education programs in the District. I will ask the Department of Health and AHPP to review all the programs that now exist in the District and to develop a comprehensive plan, which will make sure that we are reaching everyone with these education and distribution programs. We need only look at the Appleseed report to see that we have to do more than we have. While we had a goal of distributing 600,000 condoms in 2004 we only distributed 125,000 in 2005. The final plan needs to include distribution sites such as public health centers, nightclubs and bars, hospitals and even hair salons and barber shops.

10. The District is being forced by the federal government to switch from a unique identifier system to a names reporting system for people testing positive for HIV. Will you support legislation to strengthen our medical privacy laws, such as by creating a private right of action for those whose confidentiality is violated by District government employees or contractors?

Yes. I reluctantly support names reporting and will move to strengthen our laws on medical privacy to guarantee that there are severe penalties for anyone violating confidentiality. I will also support legislation the will give individuals whose rights may have been violated a private right of action.

Around the DC Blogosphere

Tricky Tricot reflects on the recent Washington Post article on HIV/AIDS read his post here

Youth AIDS Team Happy Hour this Thursday

The Youth AIDS Team will be having a happy hour this Thursday at Cafe Asia (1720 "I" Street, NW) starting at 6:00 PM. A $10 suggested donation will benefit the organization Zambia Orphans of AIDS (ZOA).

The Youth AIDS Team of Washington, DC is self-motivated group of young people in the DC area who come together on issues surrounding HIV/AIDS. The group is made up of young professionals from the World Bank Group and other international organizations, as well as youth from local organizations and universities. The objective of the Youth AIDS Team is to recruit and nurture the next generation of leaders in HIV/AIDS.

For more information, click here

Washington Post: DC Young Poz Socials

The Washinton Post has an excellent article profiling DC Young Poz Socials. Here's a taste:

Twenty-five years ago, when the disease was a mystery, gay men were the face of AIDS, scared and outraged that it seemed nobody else cared as they died. They got organized, protested, demanded treatment. Today, however, the epidemic's public face is also heterosexual and, disproportionately, people of color. If you can afford them, drug cocktails have made HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, a more manageable illness -- the Food and Drug Administration approved a once-a-day pill last month.

National and local health-care officials say they fear gay men have "gotten collectively numb" about the epidemic. Some gay rights groups, the Human Rights Campaign and the Gay Men's Health Crisis among them, say a generational gulf has emerged.

To find out more about DC Young Poz Socials, visit: www.dcyngpozsocials.com.

DC Fights Back!

www.dcfightsback.org
Hi there I am really happy to find this blog. My name is Alex Lawson and I helped start a direct action HIV/AIDS advocacy group here in DC. DC Fights Back! I would invite everyone to check out the website and especially make use of the calendar to let people know about upcoming events in DC.

www.dcfightsback.org
Also sign up as a member so that we can keep you updated on what we are doing. Keep your eyes out for an article in the Post detailing our work on the mayoral campaign. We have a new series of community dialogues on HIV/AIDS in the works. We are partnering with Metropolitan Washington Public Health Association to have dialogues across the city in the local public libraries.

www.dcfightsback.org

Help the Homeless Walkathon Benefits People Living with HIV in DC

The Help the Homeless Walkathon will be held Saturday November 18th on the National Mall in Washington DC. This event benefits over 180 different community based organizations in Washington DC, including several HIV/AIDS organizations listed below:

DC CARE Consortium: The mission of the District of Columbia Comprehensive AIDS Resources and Education Consortium is to advocate for and to assure the availability of appropriate HIV/AIDS services in the community, including ensuring the equitable distribution of funding for these services and promoting quality assurance in their delivery. Its goals are to provide support to member organizations as they deliver quality services to people living with HIV/AIDS and their families; assure the inclusion of representatives of the various infected and affected communities as participants in programs and services offered by the Consortium; assure and promote the efficient and effective use of funding by the Consortium and its member organizations; provide a source for a collective voice and advocacy for member organizations and their clients; and serve as a representative/facilitator for all HIV/AIDS providers in D.C. for planning, coordination, funding, and monitoring of quality services. To find out more about DC CARE, click here To sign up for the Walk for the Homeless with DC CARE, as a beneficiary click here.

RIGHT INC - Residing In Group Housing Together: RIGHT is a consortium of six churches located in southeast D.C. and works to improve the quality of life for people who are devastated by the spiritual, emotional, and physical damages of HIV and AIDS. RIGHT provides housing assistance to individuals with HIV/AIDS and their families to prevent homelessness. Clothing, shoes, coats, and school supplies also are supplied for children whose parents participate in RIGHT programs. To sign up for the Walk for the Homeless with Right Inc, as a beneficiary click here.

Building Futures: Family AIDS Housing: Building Futures' mission is to increase access to housing so that homeless families and individuals living with HIV/AIDS can obtain and maintain safe, permanent housing. Programmatic service areas include creating multi-family housing through the acquisition and renovation of apartment buildings that provide family-sized units for low-income families; issuing rental subsidies for families and individuals who contribute 30 percent of their adjusted income for rent; distributing short-term financial assistance that helps persons living with AIDS pay their mortgages or rents, utilities, and basic telephone service during times of crisis; and family-centered case management and supportive services that offer treatment to confront the issues of homelessness, substance abuse, mental illness, and/or chronic unemployment. To find out more about Building Futures, click here. To sign up for the Walk for the Homeless with Building Futures as a beneficiary click here.

Man2Man Picnic This Sunday

Come join the guys of Man2Man for a BBQ at P Street Beach, 23rd and P Sts., N.W. on Sunday, Aug. 13 at 2 p.m.

$5 a plate.
All proceeds support the Man2Man project

Lunch Forum: HIV Microbicide Research

Join ACTION and the Global Campaign for Microbicides on October 12th for a free lunch forum on Microbicide Research. The presentation begins at 1:00 PM at the DC CARE Consortium, 1156 15th Street NW, Suite 500.

The word "microbicides" refers to a range of different products that share one common characteristic: the ability to prevent the sexual transmission of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) when applied topically.

A microbicide is not yet available, but scientists are currently testing many substances to see whether they help protect against HIV and/or other STDs, but no safe and effective microbicide is currently available to the public. However, scientists are seriously pursuing almost 60 product leads, including at least eleven that have proven safe and effective in animals and are now being tested in people. If one of these leads proves successful and investment is sufficient, a microbicide could be available in five to seven years.

Today's prevention options--condoms, mutual monogamy, and STD treatment--are not feasible for millions of people around the world, especially women. Many women do not have the social or economic power necessary to insist on condom use and fidelity or to abandon partnerships that put them at risk. Because microbicides would not require a partner's cooperation, they would put the power to protect into women's hand.

Lunch Provided. RSVP Required. To RSVP, Click Here.

To learn more about Microbicide Research: Read this fact Sheet.

Program Spotlight: The Sista Project

THE SISTA PROJECT, approved and partially funded by the federal Centers for Disease Control, is a program that gives African American women the knowledge, skills and pride to actively protect themselves from becoming infected with the AIDS virus.

Developed by African American women, the national model SISTA Project is tailored towards the needs of African American women who are currently in a heterosexual relationship. The Project consists of five once-a-week two hour sessions, building on one another, that have been developed to encourage group participation in an open and stimulating environment. The only thing that THE SISTA PROJECT asks from each participant is respect and support in helping herself and her sisters protect themselves when they have sex.

Healthy DC Foundation, Inc. currently operates THE SISTA PROJECT as a new program in Northeast Washington, DC, targeting women in public housing projects, subsidized housing and other low-income areas.

For more information visit: www.healthydcfoundation.org

Washington, D.C., HIV/AIDS Administration Director Discusses Testing Campaign for All Residents on PBS' 'NewsHour with Jim Lehrer'

From Kaiser Daily PBS' "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" on Wednesday included an interview with Marsha Martin, director of Washington, D.C.'s Administration for HIV Policy and Programs, about the city's HIV testing campaign (Brown, "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer," PBS, 8/2). District of Columbia health officials and HIV/AIDS advocates in June launched a citywide campaign titled, "Come Together D.C., Get Screened for HIV," which emphasizes the importance of HIV testing. The campaign aims to reach 400,000 men and women ages 14 to 84 in the district. According to statistics presented at the Mayor's Task Force on HIV/AIDS, which convened for the first time in June, up to 25,000 people, or more than 4% of all residents, in the district might be HIV-positive. District health officials have ordered 80,000 rapid HIV tests for the campaign, which organizers plan to distribute at no cost to hospital emergency departments, private physician offices, community health programs, detoxification centers and substance use and sexually transmitted infection treatment clinics. The city will allot about $8 million for the project, some of which will go toward counseling and medical referrals for those who test positive for the virus, according to Gregg Pane, director of the city Department of Health (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 6/28). Martin said that the World Health Organization and CDC are monitoring the district's testing campaign and are "very excited" about the initiative as a method of implementing HIV screening in communities. However, the initiative might be difficult to replicate in other areas, Martin said. According to Martin, "there are concerns that we in the nation's capital have the greatest rates of AIDS cases in the country." However, the district's specific circumstances are "unique" because there is a Mayor's Task Force on HIV/AIDS seeking to reduce those rates; hospitals are willing to implement CDC testing guidelines; and community providers are interested in expanding testing capacities, according to Martin ("NewsHour with Jim Lehrer," PBS, 8/2).

The complete transcript of the segment is available online. The complete segment is available online in RealPlayer.

Lunch Forum: Preventive HIV Vaccine Research in DC

Join DC CARE ACTION (AIDS Clinical Trials Information & Orientation Network) and the NIH Vaccine Research Center to learn more about research currently underway to find a vaccine to prevent HIV infection. An HIV Vaccine is not yet available. However, important research is moving us toward that goal, and volunteers in DC will have an important role to play. Come and find out more. Lunch Provided. RSVP Required.

For more information and to RSVP online, click here