Press Releases

February 2, 2000

For more information contact:
Matthew McClain at 301-585-7785 or AIDSpolicy@aol.com

Cities Advocating Emergency AIDS Relief (CAEAR) Coalition Announces Reauthorization Campaign and Management Restructuring

WASHINGTON, DC. Matthew McClain, chair of the Cities Advocating Emergency AIDS Relief (CAEAR) Coalition, announced today changes in its organization to focus more fully on reauthorization of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act.

The CAEAR Coalition is a national organization advocating on behalf of people living with HIV and AIDS in the nation's 51 CARE Act Title I eligible metropolitan areas and 197 CARE Act Title III areas. Combined, these two Titles encompass the vast majority of people with HIV disease and AIDS in the United States: 74 percent of people with AIDS in the nation reside in a Title I EMA. During FY 2000, CARE Act Title I will serve an estimated 156,000 people with HIV programs nationwide. Currently, in Title III, approximately 96,000 people are served. Roughly two-thirds of the clients in both programs are people of color. Title I and Title III providers delivery primary medical care, medications, social services, and a range of other essential services to uninsured and uninsured people with HIV disease and AIDS.

The primary goal of the Coalition in 2000 is to secure the reauthorization of the CARE Act, which in 1996 Congress authorized through September 30, 2000. "This means that as of October 1, 2000 -- the first day of the 2001 Federal fiscal year -- low income, uninsured, and underinsured people with HIV disease and AIDS in the U.S. have no guarantee of the Federal role beyond limited entitlement benefits in providing life-saving care and treatment resources," said McClain, who is a public health consultant in Washington D.C. and AIDS policy advisor to the City of Philadelphia.

Owing to the limited number of days the United States Senate and House of Representatives have scheduled for legislative action in 2000, a narrow window of opportunity exists to move a reauthorization bill in the current session. Concurrently, HIV/AIDS leadership changes in a number of CAEAR's partner organizations make CAEAR's reauthorization efforts that much more important. In light of this environment, CAEAR's executive committee made the difficult decision to shift resources and organizational emphasis to political strategy development, implementation, and grassroots advocacy to assure reauthorization.

Staffing changes within the organization accompany this refocus on reauthorization. Dennis J. Barbour, Esq. steps down as executive director, effective February 1, 2000. Deborah Kurnik will also step down as CAEAR's director of programs and membership. Mr. Barbour has a track record in long-term organizational growth and development. He previously served as president of the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, and concurrent to his tenure at CAEAR, is also president of The Healthcare Consortium. Mr. Barbour's and Ms. Kurnik's voluntary departure from CAEAR is in response to a joint assessment of the changing environment in which reauthorization will occur.

Said McClain, "Dennis and the executive committee came to the recognition that in order for reauthorization of the CARE Act to move forward with strong community involvement, CAEAR needed to shift from an executive director model of management to a campaign mode that is in high gear until the President signs the reauthorized CARE Act into law. The community is indebted to both Dennis and Deborah for their efforts on our behalf since joining CAEAR."

Barbour will continue to pursue his professional and volunteer endeavors on HIV issues in other venues.

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