 |
|
  |
  |
  |
|
Nearly a decade after the HIV epidemic had begun and had literally devastated our community and other localities throughout the country, Congress finally responded by passing the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act in 1990. Since that time, the CARE Act has become the cornerstone of cost-effective, community-based medical and supportive services for uninsured and underinsured people living with HIV/AIDS. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2000, the CARE Act will provide nearly $1.6 billion to cities, states, and community-based organizations to provide critical services to people living with HIV/AIDS, including drug treatments through the AIDS Drug Assistance Program, primary medical care, and essential support services. In fact, most of the funding for HIV/AIDS services in California comes
from federal CARE dollars. In total, California relies on over $200
million in CARE Act funds in FY 2000. San Francisco specifically received
over $35 million in CARE Title I funds (the section of the bill that
provides funds to metropolitan areas most heavily affected by the
epidemic). Congress renewed the CARE Act for a second five-year period in 1996,
but it expires again on September 30, 2000. In order to ensure continued
access to these life-saving services, the San Francisco AIDS Foundation
and its national advocacy partners are moving aggressively to educate
Congress on the importance of reauthorizing the program in 2000. While the
CARE Act enjoys broad, bipartisan support, reauthorization is not
guaranteed and will take a great deal of effort on the part of the
HIV/AIDS community. It must be remembered that CARE Act funding is discretionary in nature
and is awarded every year based on annual appropriations. Without an
authorized bill, Congress is not obligated to provide funds to the
program. And while Congress currently provides funds to some unauthorized
programs, the CARE Act is unique and might not be treated like other
programs. Reauthorization is therefore crucial. The San Francisco AIDS Foundation was a leader in the original
development and enactment of the CARE Act and has consistently helped to
secure increased funding for the program since its inception. CARE Act
reauthorization is one of the policy department's top priorities in 2000
and we will continue to work at the local, state and federal levels to
ensure local control and discretion over service mix, protect existing
services in San Francisco, and secure increased funding for the CARE Act
overall. There are many ways for individuals affected by HIV/AIDS to become
directly involved in such efforts. You can send letters to your elected
officials in Congress explaining the urgency of reauthorizing the CARE
Act. Let them know how you or people you know rely on CARE-funded
services. The San Francisco AIDS Foundation HIV Advocacy Network (HAN) can
assist you in such efforts. If you are interested in becoming a member, or
want information on how you can advocate on CARE reauthorization or other
issues, please call HAN at (415) 487-3080. You can also check out the Ryan
White CARE Act section on SFAF's website, at www.sfaf.org/policy/ryan_white.html. Copyright 2000, San Francisco AIDS
Foundation. |
