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Los Angeles
Times
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April 9, 2000, Sunday, Orange County Edition
SECTION: Metro; Part B; Page 15; Metro Desk
LENGTH: 785 words
HEADLINE:
ORANGE COUNTY VOICES;
LEGACY OF RYAN WHITE LIVES ON VIA AIDS
ASSISTANCE LEGISLATION;
THE FEDERAL CARE ACT HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED
QUITE SUCCESSFULLY IN O.C. AND MUST NOT BE ALLOWED TO EXPIRE.
BYLINE: PEARL JEMISON-SMITH, Pearl Jemison-Smith is
chairwoman of AIDS Walk Orange County
BODY:
Ten years ago this month Ryan White, an 18-year-old from Indiana, died of
AIDS contracted via transfusions for his hemophilia. The life-prolonging drugs
we have today did not come soon enough for Ryan, who fought not only HIV but the
discrimination, fear and ignorance that still accompany the disease.
That same year, a piece of federal legislation named the Ryan White
Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act (also known as the CARE Act) was
passed. Its purpose was to provide federal assistance to state and local
jurisdictions most heavily affected by HIV. The monies were funds of last
resort--not to supplant existing programs but to help communities join together
in a unique planning process.
In 1993 Orange County became eligible for
CARE Act funds and created the HIV Planning Advisory Council to identify needs
and coordinate delivery of vital medical care and essential support systems to
thousands of residents throughout the county. Today's organized system of care
has treated nearly 8,000 of the county's mostly low-income, uninsured and
underinsured residents. The system provides such services as medical exams, drug
therapy, home health and hospice care, housing, legal assistance and counseling
through cooperative efforts by nonprofit organizations such as the AIDS Services
Foundation, the Gay and Lesbian Center, Laguna Beach Community Clinic and the
county Health Care Agency. This is truly a model for other diseases here in
Orange County.
But now that system is in jeopardy. The Ryan
White CARE Act expires Sept. 30. Congress must act to keep it alive.
One advantage of the CARE Act is that it allows local control and is
based on the recognition that medications alone are not enough to successfully
fight AIDS. We have worked effectively to improve the quality of life
dramatically for patients and their families living with HIV, reduce the use of
costly inpatient care and increase access to care for underserved populations,
including people of color. This coordinated and comprehensive approach makes the
CARE Act a cost-effective and efficient investment that must be continued.
Here in Orange County we are not relying only on state and federal
funding. Through strong private-sector efforts, we raise thousands of dollars. A
good example is the AIDS Services Foundation, which currently serves more than
1,100 clients and last year raised more than $ 665,000 with AIDS Walk Orange
County. These funds are then shared with six other HIV-related agencies, another
example of how well the HIV community works together.
With the advent of
protease inhibitors and other drugs, the care agencies are seeing fewer
deaths--but an increasing client load. Here, as in other areas of the state and
nation, the face of AIDS has changed. Latinos now make up more than 38% of the
cases, African Americans are disproportionately affected and more women are
infected.
The U.S. Public Health Service has estimated that the lifetime
cost of providing medical care to one person with HIV is $ 119,000. If this
estimate is correct, then almost $ 800 million would be needed to care for the
estimated 6,700 individuals living with HIV in Orange County.
The
current medical needs of many Orange County residents are not being met, and
health care appears not to be a high priority for the Board of Supervisors. If
Orange County were to lose this federal funding, it would be a disaster for the
HIV-infected and -affected of Orange County.
That's why it is vital that
the Ryan White CARE Act not expire Sept. 30 and that its
funding continue to increase according to need.
A bipartisan effort has
prevailed in the past, with local legislators playing a leadership role. Rep.
Christopher Cox (R-Newport Beach), a member of the Commerce Committee, where the
reauthorization originates, is a strong supporter of the CARE Act. Rep. Loretta
Sanchez (D-Santa Ana) is also in favor of the reauthorization. With the backing
of the rest of the Orange County delegation, we can continue to provide these
needed services and not have to rely solely on local funding.
We have
come a long way since the beginning of the epidemic in terms of what we know
about HIV and how to treat it. In Orange County we have demonstrated how well
the CARE Act works. With public-private partnerships and a case management model
that not only encourages self-reliance but advocates prevention, we are able to
see individuals who had little hope now living productive lives. Our
accomplishments are a good start on a difficult problem. We still have a long
way to go. There is no cure or vaccine. Today, however, I salute a hero, Ryan
White, 10 years after his death. His legacy lives on.
GRAPHIC: PHOTO: PEARL JEMISON-SMITH GRAPHIC-DRAWING:
(no caption), PAUL D. RODRIGUEZ / Los Angeles Times
LOAD-DATE: April 9, 2000 
