ADAP Watch

As of February 07, 2013, there are 6,487 individuals enrolled in the NC HIV Medication Program (4,922 on ADAP, 1,094 on SPAP, and 471 on PCIP). 

Justice Department Settles Fayetteville HIV Discrimination Case

  A Wilmington pain clinic will pay damages and a fine, and enact anti-discrimination policies as part of a settlement with the Department of Justice in an HIV discrimination case, the Department announced last week.

Sarah Campbell, the complaintant, says that the Fayetteville Pain Clinic refused to treat her for back pain because she is HIV positive.

“This case sends a clear message that healthcare providers have a responsibility not to discriminate against clients based on their status,” says Allison Rice, supervising attorney at the Duke AIDS Law Project, who represented Campbell.

“And it sends the message that if people are discriminated against, there are ways for them to fight back,” Rice says.

The settlement is part of the Justice Department’s Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative.

Campbell says a doctor at the Fayetteville Pain Clinic refused to treat her after she was referred to the pain clinic for back pain. “I’ve never had a doctor treat me like that,” Campbell said, “I could have crawled in a hole.”

Campbell says she’s happy with the settlement.

“The only thing I was really hoping for is for him to treat anyone else like he treated me,” she said. “It looks like that is what is going to happen. I just didn’t want anyone else to feel like that."

People living with HIV/AIDS often report facing discrimination and stigma, even in healthcare settings, says Claire Hermann, communications program coordinator at the North Carolina AIDS Action Network.

“We’re glad to see the federal government stepping up,” said Hermann. “Clients have a right to be treated with respect. Healthcare providers should be educated about HIV/AIDS and realize that the virus cannot be transmitted through casual contact.”

Campbell agrees. “To me, having HIV is a lot like having heart disease,” she says. “If you learn more about it, you can treat it better. I’ve never been afraid to talk with people about having HIV. I hope it can be a learning experience.”

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Press Release: Elton John AIDS Foundation to support HIV/AIDS advocacy in NC

The Elton John AIDS Foundation will grant $50,000 to the North Carolina AIDS Action Network to support advocacy for policies that advance HIV testing, access to care, and reduction of HIV-related health disparities for key populations.

“We’re grateful for the Elton John AIDS Foundation’s investment in the fight for the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS and those at risk in our state,” said Claire Hermann, communications program coordinator at the Network 

“This grant will allow us to mobilize a wider community of people for smart HIV/AIDS policies, combat HIV-related stigma, and strengthen the advocacy capacity of the communities most affected by HIV/AIDS in our state,” Hermann said.

An estimated 35,000 people are living with HIV in North Carolina. Communities of color; youth; rural communities; and gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men are disproportionately affected.

The North Carolina AIDS Action Network is the only statewide advocacy organization dedicated to fighting for the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS, their loved ones, and those at risk of acquiring HIV/AIDS in North Carolina.

The Elton John AIDS Foundation is one of the world’s leading nonprofits working to reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS through innovative HIV prevention programs, efforts to eliminate stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS, and direct treatment and care services for people living with HIV/AIDS.

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Press Release: NC Advocates Applaud Re-Expanded AIDS Drug Program

PRESS RELEASE                                               CONTACT: Claire Hermann

January 11, 2013                                                                        (919) 533-9677, claire@ncaan.org

The North Carolina AIDS Action Network applauds the state AIDS Drug Assistance Program’s announcement this week that it will re-expand coverage to include medications for heart disease, Hepatitis C, mental illness, and other conditions that commonly accompany HIV.

The news comes on top of last fall’s announcement that the state would officially reopen the program to all qualified applicants without a waiting list.

“This is good news,” said Claire Hermann, Communications Program Coordinator at the Network. “It will make it easier for thousands of North Carolinians living with HIV/AIDS to access medications that are essential for their health and well-being.”

More than 6,000 low-income North Carolinians receive medications through North Carolina’s HIV and AIDS drug assistance programs. Access to care through programs such as the AIDS Drug Assistance Program is critical to saving lives and reducing medical costs.

The list of medications covered through the program was cut back in 2010, making getting the proper medications difficult for many who relied on the program.

For instance, patients who received drugs through hospital charity programs often had to pick their drugs up in person every 30 days, a financially and physically challenging situation for patients who may live more than 100 miles from their nearest provider.

When the re-expanded formulary goes into effect on January 15, 2013, clients will be able to receive many of those same medications by mail through the program.

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Call for Proposals for Advocacy Conference

Call for Proposals

Statewide HIV/AIDS Advocacy Conference

Raleigh, NC

April 9th, 2013

The statewide HIV/AIDS Advocacy Conference is proposal driven, meaning that Community Partners propose the presentations. We are seeking proposals for sessions that build community knowledge and exemplify working models for effective HIV advocacy that can be replicated by others across the state.

Who can conduct a presentation? Anyone from an organization that has signed on as a Community Partner can propose a presentation. In order to conduct a presentation, your proposal must be submitted by 5pm on Thursday, January 26th, 2013.

Can we propose a workshop, a round table discussion, or a poster presentation? Yes, we will consider all formats, with a preference for sessions that include interactive components and that strive to make participants more effective advocates for responsible HIV policies. What should we include in our proposal? ●      Please give a title for your presentation(s) and a brief description (200 words or less). Be sure to state explicit the main goal of the presentation. ●      Please include your full name, affiliation, e-mail and mailing address. ●      Please include a short bio for each presenter highlighting their qualifications to present on this subject. ●      Please indicate if your presentation is a workshop, a roundtable discussion, or a poster presentation. ●      Please indicate any special needs for audiovisual equipment. How do I propose a presentation? Please submit your proposal via email to shawn@ncaan.org with the subject “Conference Proposal” no later than 5pm on Saturday, January 26th, 2013.

Action Alert: Call today to support HIV/AIDS programs

Our friends at AIDS United just sent out this action alert. Let's make sure our legislators hear from North Carolina!  As the fiscal cliff looms, it's incredibly important that our legislators hear loud and clear: Cutting lifesaving programs is not the way to balance the budget.

CONGRESSIONAL CALL-IN DAY TO SUPPORT HIV/AIDS PROGRAMS! Call TODAY! Call NOW! Tell Speaker Boehner and President Obama that cutting programs vital to people with HIV/AIDS is no way to reduce the deficit - we need a fair and balanced approach now! We encourage people to call House Speaker Boehner and President Obama today, December 18, or tomorrow, December 19, to ensure that programs vital to people with HIV/AIDS are not cut! BACKGROUND: House Speaker Boehner and President Obama are negotiating now to reduce the federal deficit.Critical services upon which millions of Americans rely, including persons living with HIV/AIDS, are at risk for cuts. The Ryan White Program, Medicaid, Medicare, housing, HIV prevention and other programs that make up the safety net for vulnerable Americans with HIV/AIDS and the NIH-supported research that holds the keys to ending the pandemic are all on the line. Negotiations on this issue will end soon, so we need to exert pressure now! ACTION NEEDED: Please call Speaker Boehner and President Obama and tell them to prevent harmful cuts and caps to health care and low-income programs, including those that impact persons with HIV/AIDS -- we need a fair and balanced approach that includes a substantial increase in revenue now! Please make calls today! To call House Speaker Boehner, dial 202-225-0600. To call President Obama, dial 202-456-1414. MESSAGE: Please call with this message : I am calling to ask Speaker Boehner/President Obama to prevent harmful cuts and caps to health care, research, and low-income programs, including those that impact persons living with HIV/AIDS, such as the Ryan White Program, Medicaid, Medicare, housing, and HIV prevention programs! We need a fair and balanced approach that includes a substantial increase in revenue now that prevents further cuts to these vital programs. Balancing the budget on the backs of vulnerable Americans, including those living with HIV, is wrong, will potentially cost lives, and will cut jobs in the health care and human needs sectors. Early and reliable access to HIV care, treatment, and support helps people with HIV live healthy and productive lives and is cost effective. Investing in HIV prevention today translates into better health outcomes and less spending in the future. In my state/district, such programs are greatly needed, because (insert local details or tell personal story). Thank you for taking the time to call House Speaker Boehner and President Obama to ensure that programs vital to people with HIV/AIDS are protected! This alert has been organized by the AIDS Budget and Appropriations Coalition (ABAC), a working group of the Federal AIDS Policy Partnership (FAPP), a coalition of over one hundred national and community-based HIV/AIDS and public health organizations that represent people living with HIV/AIDS, HIV medical provider and researchers, and advocates, as well as community organizations that provide critical HIV related health care and support services. ABAC advocates for increased resources for domestic HIV/AIDS programs across the federal government.

Encouraging one another

This morning, I got an email from Michelle Wilson, a Speaking Positively advocate in Winston-Salem, NC, about the shootings in Newtown, Conn. “This story touches me in all kinds of ways,” Michelle said, “especially talking about mental illness. For me, as mother of six who lives with an illness and suffers with illness mentally and physically, it reminds me to strive to help others and encourage others that they can overcome most obstacles."

Michelle has demonstrated her passion for helping and encouraging others by speaking up about her status and HIV/AIDS issues, whether she’s being interviewed in The News & Observer or meeting fellow advocates at the International AIDS Conference. “I want everyone to come together in unity to stop the stigma and stop the epidemic,” she says. “And we need to start with our youth because youth have a lot of struggles, and they don’t know where to reach out."

Also in my inbox this morning was a message from Alicia Diggs, a Speaking Positively advocate in Greensboro, NC, who was sending me an article in The Business 101 Magazine about her ministry, I Will Live. I Will Live connects people facing many types of adversity – physical, mental, emotional, or psychological – and provides a supportive community online and at events in the Greensboro area.

“Though you may speak to one person or a thousand people, you can make a difference,” Alicia says. “You can help the next person to see that they can overcome this.”

Michelle and Alicia’s emails, and the posts by many of you on Facebook, sending thoughts and prayers to the families in Newtown, reminded me that the first step in our work to fight stigma and change policies is reaching out to each other in adversity and understanding that our struggles are connected.

As Michelle said, “If we the people of the world come together, talk to one another, and encourage one another, we’ll have an AIDS-free state, and then an AIDS-free country, and then an AIDS-free generation will be possible.”

How does the fight for the rights of the people most affected by HIV/AIDS connect with other struggles in your life? Share your thoughts in the comments.