AIDS United Propels Fight to End HIV in Southern U.S. with Major Grants to NCAAN & Coalition Partners

Since 2010, AIDS United has been investing in the North Carolina AIDS Action Network (NCAAN), providing us with essential financial resources to advance responsible HIV prevention and treatment policies and reduce HIV-related stigma in our state.

We are hugely excited to share the news that AIDS United has made its largest investment in NCAAN to date as part of the 2012-13 Southern REACH grant program. We're honored to be selected - and we're also deeply appreciative of AIDS United's strong investment in North Carolina and across the South.

Other recipients in North Carolina include coalition partners Duke AIDS Legal Project, Legal Services of Southern Piedmont, NC Harm Reduction Coalition, Regional AIDS Interfaith Network, Tri-County Community Health Council, and Western North Carolina AIDS Project.

Please join us in expressing our gratitude to AIDS United and in congratulating all the Southern REACH recipients, especially our local heroes from North Carolina, by posting a quick note on our Facebook wall & sharing the great news with your friends.

The mission of AIDS United is to end the AIDS epidemic in the United States. The Southern REACH (Regional Expansion of Access and Capacity to Address HIV/AIDS) initiative is funded by the Ford Foundation and supports the development and expansion of programs that seek to achieve social change, shape responsible HIV/AIDS public policy, and/or respond to the underlying legal, political, and systemic barriers contributing to disproportionate rates of HIV/AIDS in the Southern United States. You can learn more about the Southern REACH program here.

ADAP Watch

As of March 22, 2012 there are:

• 6,826 individuals enrolled in HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs (ADAP & SPAP)
  • 6,056 are enrolled in ADAP
  • 770 are enrolled in SPAP
• 166 individuals on the waiting list

As of March 15, 2012 there were:

• 6,772 individuals enrolled in HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs (ADAP & SPAP)
  • 6,045 are enrolled in ADAP
  • 727 are enrolled in SPAP
• 158 individuals on the waiting list

According to NASTAD’s most recent ADAP Watch, there are 11 states with waiting lists, totaling 3,840 people. That report shows NC as having 154 clients on the waiting list, which was our official count at COB on March 14. NC accounts for approximately 4% of the national ADAP waiting list. NASTAD’s ADAP Watch can be found at http://www.nastad.org/default.aspx.

ADAP Watch

As of March 15, 2012 there are:

• 6,772 individuals enrolled in HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs (ADAP & SPAP)
  • 6,045 are enrolled in ADAP
  • 727 are enrolled in SPAP
• 158 individuals on the waiting list

As of March 8, 2012 there were:

• 6,740 individuals enrolled in HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs (ADAP & SPAP)
  • 6,070 are enrolled in ADAP
  • 670 are enrolled in SPAP
• 155 individuals on the waiting list

This week North Carolina's overall enrollment increased as it always does but there was a decrease in ADAP enrollment and an increase in SPAP enrollment. This is a result of the state's enhanced efforts to identify clients on ADAP who are enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and switch those clients to SPAP. As we continue with these efforts it is likely that the ratio of ADAP to SPAP clients will continue to change.

According to NASTAD’s most recent ADAP Watch, there are 11 states with waiting lists, totaling 3,840 people. That report shows NC as having 154 clients on the waiting list, which was the official count at COB on March 14. NC accounts for approximately 4% of the national ADAP waiting list. NASTAD’s ADAP Watch can be found at http://www.nastad.org/default.aspx.

ADAP Reauthorization: Don't Delay!

If you're following ADAP figures, you're likely know people who rely on ADAP for their HIV medications.

Please encourage them to submit their applications for re-authorization ASAP to help avoid delays, as requested by the NCDHHS, which wrote:

Last year almost 40% of the applications were received in the last 15 days of reauthorization. This resulted in delayed processing and interruptions in medication for many clients. Please help your clients avoid an interruption in medication by sending their applications in as early in March as possible. We can not allow clients to receive medications from ADAP/SPAP if their reauthorization paperwork has not been completely processed.

You can find more information about ADAP reauthorization on the NC Department of Health and Human Services website.

Now, on to the latest numbers:

As of March 8, 2012 there are:

• 6,740 individuals enrolled in HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs (ADAP & SPAP)
  • 6,070 are enrolled in ADAP
  • 670 are enrolled in SPAP
• 155 individuals on the waiting list

As of March 1, 2012 there were:

• 6,708 individuals enrolled in HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs (ADAP & SPAP)
  • 6,086 are enrolled in ADAP
  • 622 are enrolled in SPAP
• 153 individuals on the waiting list

This week our overall enrollment increased as it always does but there was a decrease in ADAP enrollment and an increase in SPAP enrollment. This is a result of the state's enhanced efforts to identify clients on ADAP who are enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and switch those clients to SPAP. As these efforts continu it is likely that the ratio of ADAP to SPAP clients will continue to change.

According to NASTAD’s most recent ADAP Watch, there are 11 states with waiting lists, totaling 3,949 people. That report shows NC as having 155 clients on the waiting list, which was our official count at COB on March 7. NC accounts for approximately 4% of the national ADAP waiting list. NASTAD’s ADAP Watch can be found at http://www.nastad.org/default.aspx.

One Giant Step Closer to a Cure for HIV

Late yesterday, UNC-Chapel Hill researchers announced a promising discovery in the search for a cure for HIV. Using drugs typically given for treating lymphoma, Dr. David Margolis's team managed to bring dormant HIV cells out of hiding. That crucial step opens up new possibilities for treatments that could rid the body of HIV completely. (You can learn more about the finding on UNC's website.)

This announcement came less than three months after Science magazine named the UNC-based research study HPTN 052 the "Breakthrough of the Year" for 2011. That study, led by Dr. Myron Cohen, showed that early anti-retroviral therapy reduced new HIV infections by up to 96%. These findings proved the huge potential of treatment-as-prevention as a highly effective method of reducing HIV transmission, and highlighted the need for early, uninterrupted access to HIV medications.

As North Carolinians, we take pride in the accomplishments of this state's HIV researchers and give thanks that the strength of our public university system continues to attract such talent to our state.

Congratulations to Dr. Margolis, Dr. Cohen, and all the researchers in our state who devote their careers to making these major steps forward in the fight against HIV!

Survey Time!

The North Carolina AIDS Action Network needs 10 minutes of your time to learn how to make our work more effective! We are consulting with marketing students at UNC-Chapel Hill to learn how and why our supporters are active in NCAAN.

They've developed a confidential survey to understand what is and isn't working in our efforts to engage volunteers to support responsible HIV/AIDS policy in North Carolina. Your responses will be kept confidential and will be used to propose plans to make NCAAN’s outreach work more effective.

Please click on the link below to take a 10 minute survey about your experience with NCAAN. Provide your email add at the end of the survey and you will be entered in a drawing for a $20 gift card.

Here is the link to the survey:
https://uncodum.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_2lDQQkca06q23FG

ADAP Watch

As of March 1, 2012 there are:

• 6,708 individuals enrolled in HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs (ADAP & SPAP)
  • 6,086 are enrolled in ADAP
  • 622 are enrolled in SPAP
• 153 individuals on the waiting list

As of February 23, 2012 there were:

• 6,673 individuals enrolled in HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs (ADAP & SPAP)
  • 6,112 are enrolled in ADAP
  • 561 are enrolled in SPAP
• 148 individuals on the waiting list

This week our overall enrollment increased as it always does but there was a decrease in ADAP enrollment and an increase in SPAP enrollment. This is a result of our enhanced efforts to identify clients on ADAP who are enrolled in a Medicare Part D plan and switch those clients to SPAP. As we continue with these efforts it is likely that the ratio of ADAP to SPAP clients will continue to change.

According to NASTAD’s most recent ADAP Watch, released today, there are 11 states with waiting lists, totaling 3,809 people. That report shows NC as having 150 clients on the waiting list, which was our official count at COB on February 29, 2012. NC accounts for approximately 4% of the national ADAP waiting list. NASTAD’s ADAP Watch can be found at http://www.nastad.org/default.aspx.