For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Justin Burke - 213.201.1525
AIDS PROJECT LOS ANGELES APPLAUDS GOVERNOR’S MAY REVISE
Los Angeles, Calif., May 12, 2006 –AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) today commended Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for preserving California’s vital HIV/AIDS programs in the May revised budget, which includes $258.8 million to fully fund the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP).
“California’s ADAP program must continue providing life-saving HIV medications to more than 30,000 low-income individuals,” said Craig E. Thompson, executive director of APLA. “The governor’s budget recognizes the importance of this program.”
Although ADAP is being funded at 3 percent below the $266.8 million identified in the governor’s January budget, the decrease was a result of cost savings and will not result in program cuts or limitations to current levels of service.
“Without full funding of ADAP, an ever-increasing number of Californians living with HIV would become sicker and would eventually cost the state more in increased health care expenses,” Thompson added. “We commend the governor and the state Office of AIDS for identifying cost-savings measures that increase the program’s efficiency while maintaining services for those who need it most.
“AIDS in California continues to be a health crisis for men who have sex with men,” Thompson noted. “And the epidemic is growing in communities of color. The Assembly is currently considering several funding requests for HIV prevention initiatives, including a campaign to encourage HIV testing among Latino men. We encourage the governor to fully support these proposals and help reduce the number of new infections in the state.”
Also included in the May Revision was a $1.0 million increase to add HIV/AIDS to California’s Disease Management Pilot Project.
AIDS Project Los Angeles, one of the largest non-profit AIDS service organizations in the United States, provides bilingual direct services, prevention education and leadership on HIV/AIDS-related policy and legislation. Founded by four friends in 1982, APLA is a community-based, volunteer-supported organization with local, national and global reach. For more information, visit www.apla.org.
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