Reauthorization of Ryan White CARE Act: This measure would urge the Congress of the United States to expeditiously reauthorize the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act in order to ensure that the expanding medical care and support service needs of individuals living with HIV disease are met.
WHEREAS, In California as of January 1, 1999, more than 110,000 cases of the expanding pandemic known as AIDS -- Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome -- have been reported; and,
WHEREAS, The State of California created an Office of AIDS within the Department of Health Services, to proactively address issues relating to HIV/AIDS, and which Office now directly administers the expenditure of Federal and State funds to combat the disease; and,
WHEREAS, Due to advancements in pharmaceutical therapies and an increasing focus on early intervention and treatment, the number of individuals living with HIV has grown significantly; the progression from HIV to an AIDS diagnosis for many has slowed considerably as a result of these therapies; and,
WHEREAS, It is estimated that more than 44,000 California residents are currently living with AIDS, 15 percent of the nationwide total of 288,000; and,
WHEREAS, It is estimated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that there are 40,000 new HIV infections in the United States each year and that California accounts for one-fifth, or 8,000, of these infections; and,
WHEREAS, Approximately one-third of Californians with HIV disease are unaware of their diagnosis and tens of thousands of individuals know they are HIV-positive but are not receiving care regularly; and,
WHEREAS, The number of annual AIDS deaths in California dropped 51 percent between 1996 and 1997; however, between 1997 and 1998, deaths dropped by only 27 percent; and,
WHEREAS, HIV/AIDS in California significantly impacts communities of color, gay and bisexual men, and women, as well as low-income and other underserved communities; and,
WHEREAS, As many as one-half of new HIV infections occur in people under age 25; one in four are in young people under age 22; and,
WHEREAS, Increasingly, some individuals with HIV disease have also been diagnosed with substance abuse and/or mental illness; and,
WHEREAS, Substance abuse is a factor in well over 50 percent of new HIV infections in some U.S. cities; and,
WHEREAS, California looks to the Federal Government to assist the State in meeting the expanding health care and social service needs of people living with HIV disease; and,
WHEREAS, The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act was first adopted in 1990; and,
WHEREAS, The Ryan White CARE Act expires on September 30, 2000; and,
WHEREAS, Since its inception, the Ryan White CARE Act has ensured the delivery of vital medical care and treatment and essential support services to tens of thousands of Californians, including: medical examinations, laboratory procedures and evaluations, drug therapy, dental care, case management, home health and hospice care, transportation, housing, legal assistance, benefits education and assistance, treatment education and adherence, nutrition therapy, and mental health and substance abuse counseling; and,
WHEREAS, Under Federal law, the Ryan White CARE Act is designated as the provider of last resort; therefore, it is recognized as a critical safety net program for low-income uninsured and underinsured individuals; and,
WHEREAS, the Federal Budget for Fiscal Year 2000 contains increased funding for the Ryan White CARE Act, a significant portion of which is dedicated to California; and,
WHEREAS, Title I of the Ryan White CARE Act currently provides emergency assistance to the 51 U.S. metropolitan areas most heavily impacted by the AIDS epidemic, of which nine are in California, the most in the U.S.; and,
WHEREAS, The Ryan White CARE Act has enabled local communities receiving Title I funding to tailor the delivery of services that best meet the needs of their residents who are affected by HIV/AIDS; and,
WHEREAS, California receives funding under Title II of the Ryan White CARE Act for care and treatment and social services; a significant portion pays for life-extending and life-saving pharmaceuticals under California’s AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP); and,
WHEREAS, Title III of the Ryan White CARE Act provides funding to public and private nonprofit entities for outpatient early intervention and primary care services; and,
WHEREAS, Title IV of the Ryan White CARE Act focuses on Women, Children, Youth and Families, and has increased access to medical care and support services for persons under 25 living with HIV and/or AIDS; and,
WHEREAS, The Ryan White Care Act Dental Reimbursement Program (Part F) reimburses eligible dental schools and postdoctoral dental education programs for the reported, uncompensated costs of oral health care to people living with HIV; and,
WHEREAS, The goal of the Ryan White CARE Act Special Programs of National Significance (SPNS) Program (Part F) is to advance knowledge about the care and treatment of persons living with HIV/AIDS by providing time-limited grants to assess models for delivering health and support services, and SPNS projects have supported the development of innovative service models for HIV care to provide health and social services to communities of color and hard to reach populations in California; and,
WHEREAS, A network of 14 regional education centers (along with local performance sites) were funded as part of Part F of the Ryan White CARE Act; the AIDS Education and Training Centers (AETCs) train clinical health care providers, provide consultation and technical assistance, and disseminate ever-changing information to health care professionals on the effective management of HIV infection; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Assembly and Senate of the State of California, jointly, That the Legislature affirms its support of the Ryan White Care Act, and urges the Congress of the United States to expeditiously reauthorize the Act in order to ensure that the expanding medical care and support service needs of individuals living with HIV disease are met; and be it further
Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of this resolution to the President and Vice President of the United States, The Senate Majority and Minority Leaders, the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the House Minority Leader, the Chairpersons and Ranking Minority Members of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, Appropriations, and Budget Committees, and to the Chairpersons and Ranking Minority Members of the House Commerce, Appropriations, and Budget Committees, and to each Senator and Representative from California in the Congress of the United States.
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