AIDS Programs Jeopardized by Lack of Funding Increases at the Federal Level

"This has been one of the toughest years we have faced in obtaining the funding levels needed for critical AIDS programs," said Fred Dillon, the Foundation's Director of Public Policy and Communications. "Fortunately, we were able to convince state and local officials to provide much of the funding that was needed, but access to HIV drugs and services will be jeopardized if the federal government continues to under-fund these crucial programs."

The San Francisco AIDS Foundation has worked year after year to ensure that government funding keeps pace with the growth in the HIV epidemic. Particularly critical is funding for HIV care and support programs, including the Ryan White CARE Act and the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), which provides HIV-related medications to those who otherwise could not afford these drugs. Unfortunately, our goal has been made much more difficult in recent years by ongoing government budget deficits and waning commitment to HIV programs at the national level.

The AIDS Foundation's federal lobbyist, Ernest Hopkins, explains, "Mounting federal deficits, war-related spending and a lack of White House focus on the domestic epidemic have prevented meaningful increases in federal HIV/AIDS spending for several years." For example, this year, the Bush Administration has supported a meager increase of $35 million for ADAP, far short of the $217 million needed to ensure access to HIV drugs throughout the country. The President also proposed flat funding for all other domestic AIDS programs, despite growing numbers of Americans living with HIV and AIDS and in need of services.

Unfortunately, Congress has followed the President's proposal and has not yet provided any increases for HIV programs. In fact, the Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS Act (HOPWA) could receive $12 million less in the coming year based on some of the current Congressional deliberations. Final appropriations levels are not expected to be completed until after the November 2nd elections, but prospects for significant increases appear dim.

Despite setbacks at the federal level, the Foundation and our advocacy partners were successful this year in stabilizing funding levels for ADAP and other programs at the state and local level. Thanks to the strong budget leadership of Assemblymember John Laird (D-Santa Cruz) and Senator Wes Chesbro (D-Humboldt), and a Governor who has been responsive to vigorous HIV/AIDS advocacy, California's recently approved budget included an increase of $27 million for ADAP. "The Governor is to be commended for ultimately recognizing the life and death importance of this program," said Dana Van Gorder, who led the Foundation's advocacy on the state budget. Schwarzenegger also approved a $3 million increase for the state program that provides viral load and drug resistance testing to low-income Californians living with HIV/AIDS.

At the local level, San Francisco suffered a $4 million cut to its federal Ryan White CARE Act allocation. Additionally, in order to address the city's own budget deficit, $925,000 in cuts were proposed to city funded HIV/AIDS programs. "Thankfully," said Van Gorder, "Health Department Director Mitch Katz identified $1 million to prevent some of these service cuts, and Supervisors Tom Ammiano and Chris Daly provided the leadership needed to secure another $2.6 million to restore targeted services. We are very fortunate to live in a city whose leaders are so deeply committed to addressing this ongoing emergency."

In the coming year, we will again be faced with lower than needed federal funding levels, which will likely lead to severe cutbacks at the state and local levels. Significant grassroots pressure will be needed to secure adequate funding levels for these crucial programs. If you would like to get involved in these efforts, please contact us at 415-487-3099.