Urge Secretary Kim Belshe, head of California’s Health & Human Services Agency, to restore funding for the state’s HIV/AIDS programs. Governor Schwarzenegger’s millions of dollars in cuts to the state’s HIV/AIDS education, prevention, counseling & testing, housing and treatment services have essentially dismantled twenty years of progress in the fight against AIDS in California—a move that will ultimately create higher health care costs for the state, endanger the public’s health and cost lives.
Yes, I would like to join AIDS Healthcare Foundation's online e-community to save lives and be informed on today's most important HIV/AIDS issues. Send me future mobile phone and email alerts to find out how I can help!
Mobile phone: (optional, i.e.123-456-7890)
*Indicates required field.
Secretary Kim Belshe California Health & Human Services1600 Ninth Street, Room 460Sacramento, CA 95814
Dear Secretary Belshe,
We, the undersigned HIV/AIDS medical care providers, are highly dismayed over the recent cuts to California’s HIV/AIDS budget and call on your office to immediately restore funding to the state’s lifesaving HIV/AIDS programs.
The millions of dollars in cuts to the state’s HIV/AIDS education, prevention, counseling & testing, housing and treatment services have essentially dismantled twenty years of progress in the fight against AIDS in California—a move that will ultimately create higher health care costs for the state, endanger the public’s health and cost lives.
With an 80% reduction in funding for Education & Prevention, a 70% cut in HIV Counseling and Testing and a 50% cut for Early Intervention, the state’s ability to prevent new infections will be severely crippled. New infections in California are likely to increase as a result—with each new infection bringing with it $600,000 in lifetime health care costs.
A 100% cut to the Therapeutic Monitoring Program is the very definition of penny-wise and pound-foolish. With the ability to monitor the effectiveness of lifesaving AIDS drugs hampered, the state’s already cash-strapped AIDS Drug Assistance Program will likely end up spending more money for less effective drugs.
Finally, a 20% cut in Housing and a more than a 50% cut in funding for Home and Community-Based Care will leave many ill Californians without the most services needed to remain alive and healthy.
These severe HIV/AIDS funding cuts will devastate those living with the disease who rely on the services the state provides to fulfill basic health care needs. With HIV testing programs sidelined, these cuts also pose a serious threat to our shared responsibility to combat the spread of HIV in California.
We urge your office to take action and to restore funding to California’s lifesaving HIV/AIDS programs.
We look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Homayoon Khanlou, MD, Chief of Medicine USA AIDS Healthcare Foundation
[Your name here]
