SF AIDS Fdn: S.F. AIDS Foundation Hails Renewal of the Ryan White CARE Act

prcenter@sfaf.org
(Gustavo Suarez, Director of Communications)

S.F. AIDS Foundation Hails Renewal of the Ryan White CARE Act

Drastic Cuts to San Francisco Rejected in Final Version of Bill

San Francisco, CA, October 5, 2000 -- The San Francisco AIDS Foundation praised today's final vote in Congress on legislation to reauthorize the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act. President Clinton is expected to sign the new legislation next week, guaranteeing uninterrupted medical services for low-income, uninsured and underinsured people living with HIV disease. The current legislation expired on September 30, 2000.

"We applaud the hard work of the House and Senate in crafting and ultimately passing this critical piece of legislation. The tireless and principled leadership of Representatives Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Senators Jim Jeffords (R-VT) and Edward Kennedy (D-MA) are particularly noteworthy," said Ernest Hopkins, SFAF's Director of Federal Affairs. "Because of their leadership, people living with HIV in San Francisco and across the country will be protected from drastic cuts in medical care and treatment."

In July, the House passed legislation that would have cut up to 25 percent in funding over five years for San Francisco, while the Senate bill allowed for a maximum cut of 10 percent. The agreement contained in the final legislation limits the maximum cuts allowed for metropolitan areas that receive direct assistance from the CARE Act to no more than 15 percent over the next 5 years. In a further compromise, the legislation would limit the cut to 13 percent if HIV case data are determined to be sufficiently accurate to be incorporated into funding formulas by FY 2005 (currently only AIDS data are used in the formula).

"The CARE Act has saved thousands of lives. It's as simple as that," said Pat Christen, SFAF's Executive Director. "We must remember that AIDS remains an enormous public health emergency and that without the CARE Act, the public health infrastructure serving people with HIV would buckle."

San Francisco confronts a major public health burden, with a growing number of residents living with HIV who rely on CARE Act funded services. Over 15,000 San Franciscans are estimated to be living with HIV.

The San Francisco AIDS Foundation has been at the forefront of the battle against HIV disease since 1982. Through its comprehensive array of compassionate and critical services such as cutting-edge treatment publications, one-on-one treatment consultations, housing assistance, and the California AIDS Hotline (800/367-AIDS), the AIDS Foundation annually serves 120,000 individuals impacted by HIV and AIDS. The non-profit, community-based organization reaches nearly 1 million others through community outreach, advocacy efforts, prevention programs, and the Web (http://www.sfaf.org/index.html).