Contents Overview of Policy Positions

C ities Advocating Emergency AIDS Relief (CAEAR) is a national coalition that advocates for sound public health policies and resources related to the critical health care and supportive service needs of people living with HIV disease in the United States.

The Coalition is a national representative organization focusing on the needs of individuals and programs dependent on resources from Title I and Title III of the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act. The CARE Act, first passed by Congress in 1990, was reauthorized in 1996 for five years through September 30, 2000.

  
CAEAR Coalition members are people living with HIV disease and their coalitions, CARE Act grantees, community health clinics, community health advocates, public health departments, and Title I planning council representatives, and Title III grantees throughout the United States

The CAEAR Coalition has prepared this document to inform the Members of Congress, the Administration, and the public about key policy perspectives from consumers of HIV/AIDS services, HIV/AIDS service providers, and concerned citizens who are affiliated with Ryan White CARE Act Title I and Title III. The Coalition has received input from hundreds of individuals through its own regular membership meetings, planning council surveys, and special meetings of CAEAR members in December of 1998 and May 1999, which focused entirely on CARE Act reauthorization issues.

The CAEAR Coalition's policy recommendations on CARE Act reauthorization center on the key questions and their answers, as presented below briefly. Expanded discussion of these questions can be found in the attached document.

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