Press Release: Federal grant puts focus on HIV epidemic among minority gay men

PRESS RELEASE                                                  CONTACT: Lisa Hazijian, Executive Director

September 28, 2012                                                                           (919) 576-0448, lisa@ncaan.com

A $1.9M federal grant will allow the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services to expand the state’s work to address the HIV/AIDS epidemic among minority gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men.

The program will address barriers to testing and healthcare by creating MSM safe spaces around the state, piloting a faith-based initiative and a men’s clinic, and linking prisoners to care after their release. It will also expand the Department’s testing capacity.

“This grant is great news for North Carolina, where 35,000 people are living with HIV,” said Lisa Hazirjian, executive director of the North Carolina AIDS Action Network.

“The burden of the HIV/AIDS epidemic falls more heavily on certain communities,” Hazirjian said. “Addressing these disparities is one of our key challenges. With these funds, the state and federal governments are taking meaningful steps to meet that challenge.”

More than half of North Carolina’s HIV/AIDS cases are among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men.

Black men consistently represent more than 60 percent of cases in North Carolina. They are eight times more likely than white men to contract the virus. Rates of death from HIV/AIDS in the black community are 13 times higher than in the white community.

Hispanic men have the second highest rate of new HIV cases in the state, and they are more likely to get diagnosed late than other groups.

“It’s very appropriate that this news comes in the week in which we observe National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day,” said Hazirjian. “Public support for programs that reach the people most affected by HIV/AIDS is critical as we work to together to end this epidemic.”

The three-year grant is funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through the Secretary’s Minority AIDS Initiative’s Care and Prevention in the United States program.

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ADAP Watch

As of September 27, 2012 there are:

• 6,493 individuals enrolled in HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs (ADAP & SPAP)
  • 5,470 are enrolled in ADAP
  • 1,023 are enrolled in SPAP
• 0 individuals on the waiting list

As of September 20, 2012 there were:

• 6,445 individuals enrolled in HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs (ADAP & SPAP)
  • 5,437 are enrolled in ADAP
  • 1,008 are enrolled in SPAP
• 0 individuals on the waiting list

According to NASTAD’s most recent ADAP Watch, released on September 14, there are 6 states with waiting lists, totaling 88 people.  That report shows NC as having 0 clients on the waiting list, which was our official count at COB on September 13.  NASTAD’s ADAP Watch can be found at http://www.nastad.org/default.aspx.

Stigma Stops Here, Because Our Lives Matter

Today is National Gay Men’s HIV/AIDS Awareness Day.  To observe the day, we’re launching our Stigma Stops Here campaign.

Stigma – fear and discrimination aimed at people with HIV/AIDS or people at risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS - has very real consequences. Stigma stops people at risk from getting tested. Stigma promotes fear, shame, and ignorance. Stigma keeps people from getting the healthcare they need. Stigma discourages people from disclosing their status.

There’s one thing stigma doesn’t do: stop the spread of HIV.

The things that will stop the epidemic and help people living with HIV/AIDS live healthy lives are testing, knowledge, healthcare, and open conversation. We need to stop stigma, because our lives matter.

We’re launching this campaign today because HIV/AIDS disproportionately affect gay and bisexual men and transgender people. In North Carolina, 57 percent of new HIV diagnoses are among men who have sex with men (MSM). The epidemic is spreading most quickly among young black MSM. We’re also launching the campaign today because of the close ties between homophobia and HIV/AIDS stigma.

This week, starting yesterday and running through NC Pride, we’ll be featuring resources on how we can stop stigma together on Facebook, Twitter, and our website. We’ll be at Pride in Durham with a group of wonderful volunteers who will ask people to pledge to stop stigma, hand out information cards, and give away stickers. We’ll take those same resources to Blue Ridge Pride and Winston-Salem Pride.

Want to be a part of launching Stigma Stops Here?

• Change your Facebook profile picture and cover photo to one of the images we’re offering for free on our Facebook page.
• Share pictures and articles (like this blog!) with your friends through social media, email, and conversation.
• Take the Stigma Stops Here pledge online, or find us at a Pride festival near you and bring your friends along.
• Join the Volunteer Team at an upcoming Pride event and help NCAAN connect with new supporters and spread the word that stigma stops here. Email Shawn at shawn@ncaan.org for details.
• Join the Action Team and stay up-to-date on the latest opportunities.

How has stigma affected you? How have you challenged it? Please share your stories and thoughts in the comments!

ADAP Watch

As of September 20, 2012 there are:

• 6,445 individuals enrolled in HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs (ADAP & SPAP)
  • 5,437 are enrolled in ADAP
  • 1,008 are enrolled in SPAP
• 0 individuals on the waiting list

As of September13, 2012 there were:

• 6,391 individuals enrolled in HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs (ADAP & SPAP)
  • 5,388 are enrolled in ADAP
  • 1,003 are enrolled in SPAP
• 0 individuals on the waiting list

According to NASTAD’s most recent ADAP Watch, released on September 14, there are 6 states with waiting lists, totaling 88 people.  That report shows NC as having 0 clients on the waiting list, which was our official count at COB on September 13.  NASTAD’s ADAP Watch can be found athttp://www.nastad.org/default.aspx.

Getting ready for National Voter Registration Day

By Kyle Hoover, NCAAN Promote the Vote Coordinator

When it comes to all of the facts and figures relating to voter registration, there is one that stands out the most: 0 percent of unregistered voters will vote on November 6th. A simple and straightforward, yet all too alarming statistic that shows the importance of voter registration.

Even more alarming is the fact that 35 percent of America’s eligible voters are unregistered. This means that 35 percent of all people who can vote are missing their chance.

Registering to vote by the October 12 deadline is the first step you can take to make your voice heard in the upcoming election. This lets the people most affected by HIV/AIDS to choose which candidates will make decisions about HIV/AIDS policy.The results of the November election will have a major impact on the amount of money for HIV programs, carrying out the Affordable Care Act, and access to reproductive health care.

With Election Day less than 54 days away, now is the time to put  HIV/AIDS related issues in the spotlight and increase voter registration among supporters. Here at NCAAN we believe that all North Carolina families deserve health care policies centered on fairness, equality, and access to care. The votes of those who also believe this can be a powerful force in making this future possible.

This September 25th is the first National Voter Registration Day. This is a nationwide effort to increase the number of registered voters and highlight the importance of voter registration. Hundreds of organizations, including NCAAN, are already signed up to participate.  You and your organization can be involved by hosting or assisting in voter registration drives, running a social media campaign, or educating your partners and friends.

How to register or update your registration

Local voter registration efforts make it easier than ever to be registered to vote in this extremely important election by the October 12 deadline. Check out our NCAAN Votes initiative, where you can find many resources on voter registration; Democracy North Carolina’s NC Election Connection, where you can find information about voting.

Remember, you will need to update your registration if you have moved or if you have not voted in quite some time.

If you are not currently registered to vote or if you need to update your registration, here are three simple ways you can get a voter registration form:

1. If you have a printer: Download the voter registration form (pdf), print, fill out, and return it to your County Board of Elections (either by mail or in person).
2. If you don't have a printer, but have transportation: You can register to vote in person at your local DMV office, Employment Security Commission office, public assistance agency or disability service agency. See a full list of places to register in person.
3. If you don't have a printer or transportation: Contact Kyle Hoover at kyle@ncaan.org or (919) 355-8037, and we will mail you a voter registration form.

However you decide to register, or how you help someone else register, remember that you must return the completed form to your local county board of elections office by October 12. Once you do that, you're ready to vote in North Carolina and help to build the future centered on fairness, and equality, and access to care that all North Carolina residents deserve.

ADAP Watch

As of September 13, 2012 there are:

• 6,391 individuals enrolled in HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs (ADAP & SPAP)
  • 5,388 are enrolled in ADAP
  • 1,003 are enrolled in SPAP
• 0 individuals on the waiting list

As of September 6, 2012 there were:

• 6,318 individuals enrolled in HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs (ADAP & SPAP)
  • 5,318 are enrolled in ADAP
  • 1,000 are enrolled in SPAP
• 30 individuals on the waiting list

According to NASTAD’s most recent ADAP Watch, released today, there are 6 states with waiting lists, totaling 88 people.  That report shows NC as having 0 clients on the waiting list, which was our official count at COB on September 13.  NASTAD’s ADAP Watch can be found at http://www.nastad.org/default.aspx.

Turning the Tide at the DNC

A report from the field by Lisa Hazirjian, NCAAN's Executive Director

“What are the things we need to do to make things better for people living with HIV?” 

Jeff Crowley asks me about NCAAN’s new media 
advocacy strategy. 

That question –posed by Jeffrey Crowley, former director of the Office of National AIDS Policy – framed the dialogue at this week’s Turning the Tide of HIV/AIDS in the U.S. breakfast meeting in Charlotte during the Democratic National Convention.

Rep. Maxine Waters, who spearheaded the creation of the Minority AIDS Initiative, and Rep. Barbara Lee, co-chair of the Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus, noted key accomplishments of the Obama administration on HIV policy, including:

• lifting the HIV travel ban, which prevented people living with HIV from entering the US
• improving access to prevention and care under the provisions of the Affordable Care Act
• developing the first-ever National HIV/AIDS Strategy

Crowley’s keynote highlighted some of the ways the Affordable Care Act supports the fight to end AIDS, from expanding insurance coverage to establishing women’s right to free annual screenings for HIV as a routine part of preventative care. 

Looking to the future, Crowley noted that Medicaid expansion holds tremendous promise for improving access and quality of care for lower income people living with HIV, including many of those currently served by AIDS Drug Assistance Program – nationwide, 34 percent of ADAP clients will become newly eligible for Medicaid and another 21.6 percent will become eligible for insurance subsidies in 2014 under the Affordable Care Act.

I spoke on a panel with Deborah Warren of the Regional AIDS Interfaith Network (RAIN) and Charles Stephens of AIDS United. We highlighted opportunities for members of the HIV/AIDS advocacy community to use their collective power to push for Medicaid expansion in North Carolina. 

I also took the occasion to announce our upcoming series of free media advocacy trainings to prepare advocates to write effective letters to the editor that get noticed by decision makers.  Plans are already in the works for fall trainings in Asheville, Charlotte, and Durham – for more information about these events or to request media advocacy training for people in your area, contact Claire Hermann at claire@ncaan.org or (919) 533-9677. 

ADAP Watch

As of September 6, 2012 there are:

• 6,318 individuals enrolled in HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs (ADAP & SPAP)
  • 5,318 are enrolled in ADAP
  • 1,000 are enrolled in SPAP
• 30 individuals on the waiting list

As of August 30, 2012 there were:

• 6,285 individuals enrolled in HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs (ADAP & SPAP)
  • 5,285 are enrolled in ADAP
  • 1,000 are enrolled in SPAP
• 25 individuals on the waiting list

According to NASTAD’s most recent ADAP Watch, released on August 30, there are 6 states with waiting lists, totaling 170 people.  That report shows NC as having 25 clients on the waiting list, which was our official count at COB on August 30.  At that time, NC made up approximately 15% of the national ADAP waiting list.  NASTAD’s ADAP Watch can be found at http://www.nastad.org/default.aspx.

ADAP Watch

As of August 30, 2012 there are:

• 6,285 individuals enrolled in HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs (ADAP & SPAP)
  • 5,285 are enrolled in ADAP
  • 1,000 are enrolled in SPAP
• 25 individuals on the waiting list

As of August 23, 2012 there were:

• 6,246 individuals enrolled in HIV/AIDS drug assistance programs (ADAP & SPAP)
  • 5,261 are enrolled in ADAP
  • 985 are enrolled in SPAP
• 17 individuals on the waiting list

According to NASTAD’s most recent ADAP Watch, released on August 17, there are 7 states with waiting lists, totaling 694 people.  That report shows NC as having 9 clients on the waiting list, which was our official count at COB on August 17.  At that time, NC made up approximately 1.5% of the national ADAP waiting list.  NASTAD’s ADAP Watch can be found at http://www.nastad.org/default.aspx.