us aids policies failing latinos
us aids policies failing latinos
say advocates
call on congress to adapt and pass CARE Act
WASHINGTON, DC – (May 3, 2006) Community advocates today said US AIDS policy is failing Latinos, and pressed Congressional leaders to quickly pass stalled AIDS legislation with changes to ensure prevention and treatment programs reach Latinos – who represent an ever growing percentage of national HIV cases.
“The statistics show our national HIV policies are failing Latinos,” said Oscar De La O, President and CEO of Bienestar, the country’s largest Latino HIV/AIDS service organization. “More Latinos are getting infected and we are dying faster – that’s what we call failure,” said De La O at a Congressional briefing focusing on the issue. “We are not ensuring Latinos get AIDS messages they understand, whether its preventing HIV infection or understanding doctor’s instruction on complex treatment regimens- It’s no surprise we are falling behind,” said De La O.
Today’s briefing was convened by BIENESTAR and The AIDS Institute, with the support of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Health Task Force, Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis, and Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18). The briefing included the announcement of a joint policy and advocacy project of BIENESTAR and The AIDS Institute, Latino AIDS Policy Advocates (LAPA) and was web cast by the Kaiser Family foundation. LAPA will serve to provide policy analysis and to promote community mobilization on Latino and HIV/AIDS issues and also develop policy recommendations concerning USA-Mexico border health issues.
“We’re calling on the federal government to increase resources to fight new infection trends,” said Dr. Gene Copello, Executive Director of The AIDS Institute. He added, “The Ryan White CARE Act is a crucial component of this fight and has a huge impact on Latinos nationwide.”
Congresswoman Solis applauded the new partnership, and promised to introduce amendment language to any Ryan White CARE Act reauthorization legislation focused on retooling the Act to better respond to Latino needs. “The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Health Task Force has long recognized HIV/AIDS as a major health threat, and changing demographics in infections must be met by changes within the CARE Act. When patients fail to understand doctors’ orders, they fail to adhere to treatment – not only harming their own health, but potentially developing drug-resistant virus. I will press for changes to the CARE Act that ensure patients understand their healthcare workers by requiring grant recipients ensure access to culturally competent prevention and support staff, and qualified interpreters for medical visits.”
Speakers at the briefing included Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Oscar De La O, President & CEO, BIENESTAR, Dr. Gene Copello, Executive Director, The AIDS Institute, Jennifer Kates, Director of HIV Policy, Kaiser Family Foundation, Dr. Jorge Saavedra, Ministry of Health, Mexico and Damon Dozier, Congressional Liaison, National Minority AIDS Council. The topics included and Overview of Latinos and HIV/AIDS in the United States, the National Minority AIDS Initiative, Reauthorization of RWCA and HIV/AIDS appropriations and HIV/AIDS in the U.S.-Mexico Border.
The webcast of the briefing is located at: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/healthcast/bienestar/03may06
About BIENESTAR:
Bienestar is committed to enhancing the health and well-being of the Latino community and other underserved communities. Bienestar accomplishes this through community education, prevention, mobilization, advocacy, and the provision of direct social support services.
About The AIDS Institute:
The AIDS Institute is a national public policy research, advocacy, and education organization with offices in Washington, DC and Tampa, FL. The agency is affiliated with the Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine at the University of South Florida. The AIDS Institute is focused on HIV/AIDS but also works on related healthcare issues such as Hepatitis, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
###
For more information and to become involved in Latino AIDS Policy Advocates (LAPA), please contact:
Bienestar at: mguerrero@bienestar.org or www.bienestar.org
or
The AIDS Institute at :jarvantes@theaidsinstitute.org or www.theaidsinstitute.org
say advocates
call on congress to adapt and pass CARE Act
WASHINGTON, DC – (May 3, 2006) Community advocates today said US AIDS policy is failing Latinos, and pressed Congressional leaders to quickly pass stalled AIDS legislation with changes to ensure prevention and treatment programs reach Latinos – who represent an ever growing percentage of national HIV cases.
“The statistics show our national HIV policies are failing Latinos,” said Oscar De La O, President and CEO of Bienestar, the country’s largest Latino HIV/AIDS service organization. “More Latinos are getting infected and we are dying faster – that’s what we call failure,” said De La O at a Congressional briefing focusing on the issue. “We are not ensuring Latinos get AIDS messages they understand, whether its preventing HIV infection or understanding doctor’s instruction on complex treatment regimens- It’s no surprise we are falling behind,” said De La O.
Today’s briefing was convened by BIENESTAR and The AIDS Institute, with the support of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Health Task Force, Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis, and Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-18). The briefing included the announcement of a joint policy and advocacy project of BIENESTAR and The AIDS Institute, Latino AIDS Policy Advocates (LAPA) and was web cast by the Kaiser Family foundation. LAPA will serve to provide policy analysis and to promote community mobilization on Latino and HIV/AIDS issues and also develop policy recommendations concerning USA-Mexico border health issues.
“We’re calling on the federal government to increase resources to fight new infection trends,” said Dr. Gene Copello, Executive Director of The AIDS Institute. He added, “The Ryan White CARE Act is a crucial component of this fight and has a huge impact on Latinos nationwide.”
Congresswoman Solis applauded the new partnership, and promised to introduce amendment language to any Ryan White CARE Act reauthorization legislation focused on retooling the Act to better respond to Latino needs. “The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Health Task Force has long recognized HIV/AIDS as a major health threat, and changing demographics in infections must be met by changes within the CARE Act. When patients fail to understand doctors’ orders, they fail to adhere to treatment – not only harming their own health, but potentially developing drug-resistant virus. I will press for changes to the CARE Act that ensure patients understand their healthcare workers by requiring grant recipients ensure access to culturally competent prevention and support staff, and qualified interpreters for medical visits.”
Speakers at the briefing included Congresswoman Hilda L. Solis, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Oscar De La O, President & CEO, BIENESTAR, Dr. Gene Copello, Executive Director, The AIDS Institute, Jennifer Kates, Director of HIV Policy, Kaiser Family Foundation, Dr. Jorge Saavedra, Ministry of Health, Mexico and Damon Dozier, Congressional Liaison, National Minority AIDS Council. The topics included and Overview of Latinos and HIV/AIDS in the United States, the National Minority AIDS Initiative, Reauthorization of RWCA and HIV/AIDS appropriations and HIV/AIDS in the U.S.-Mexico Border.
The webcast of the briefing is located at: http://www.kaisernetwork.org/healthcast/bienestar/03may06
About BIENESTAR:
Bienestar is committed to enhancing the health and well-being of the Latino community and other underserved communities. Bienestar accomplishes this through community education, prevention, mobilization, advocacy, and the provision of direct social support services.
About The AIDS Institute:
The AIDS Institute is a national public policy research, advocacy, and education organization with offices in Washington, DC and Tampa, FL. The agency is affiliated with the Division of Infectious Diseases and International Medicine at the University of South Florida. The AIDS Institute is focused on HIV/AIDS but also works on related healthcare issues such as Hepatitis, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.
###
For more information and to become involved in Latino AIDS Policy Advocates (LAPA), please contact:
Bienestar at: mguerrero@bienestar.org or www.bienestar.org
or
The AIDS Institute at :jarvantes@theaidsinstitute.org or www.theaidsinstitute.org
posted by Carlos T Mock at 3:13 PM
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