For Immediate Release
Media Contact:
Justin Burke -
213.201.1525
AIDS PROJECT LOS ANGELES RECOMMENDS MORE FUNDING FOR HIV PROGRAMS IN CALIFORNIA BUDGET
May 16, 2007, Los Angeles, Calif. – AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA) today praised Governor Schwarzenegger for fully funding hiv/aids programs at existing levels, but urged the governor to use anticipated savings to provide long-overdue increases to the HIV/AIDS portfolio.
“California’s Office of AIDS is doing a great job of managing its programs,” said Craig Thompson, Executive Director of APLA. “But that’s only half the picture. The savings realized this year are a real opportunity to provide increased funding for programs that have been starved for years.”
The governor’s May Revision Budget, announced this week, requires $288.9 million to fully fund the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). This amount was less than anticipated because of savings achieved largely through increased pharmaceutical drug rebates.
Over $9 million in rebate savings were used to augment existing programs on a one-time basis. Another $7.2 million in additional savings was returned to the state's General Fund.
“All the savings realized in this program should stay in the AIDS portfolio,’ said Thompson. “Prevention programs have to be prioritized and fully funded. Governor Gray Davis cut prevention funding by $4 million dollars and it hasn’t been increased since. These programs need a boost if we’re going to see a decrease in new infections.”
The May Revise Budget includes an increase of $4 million for the state’s Therapeutic Monitoring Program (TMP); an allocation of up to $1.8 million to backfill the expected loss of Ryan White CARE Act funding to six California cities; $1.5 million for the AIDS Regional Information and Evaluation System, a Web‑based case management system that supports client access to care and treatment; and $500,000 to support the development and delivery of capacity building activities.
“We appreciate the governor’s support for HIV/AIDS programs,” Thompson continued, “But the savings realized this year present an unparalleled opportunity to do more to stop this epidemic. Legislators are currently considering a $2.5 million request for HIV testing outreach, and $2 million to do rapid testing in hospital emergency rooms. We urge the governor to support these initiatives.”
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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