AIDS Issues Update Blog
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Cuomo Bans Bloomberg’s Fingerprints for Food Stamps Policy
Housing Works and many other advocates of poor people in New York State commend Governor Cuomo’s announcement that he was ending the practice of fingerprinting food stamp applicants and recipients.
“There is never an excuse for letting any child in New York go to bed hungry,” Governor Cuomo said in a press release. “For too long, requiring finger imaging from those eligible for food stamp benefits has created an unnecessary barrier to participation in the program, causing a negative stigma and keeping food off the table for those in need. By removing this barrier, additional New Yorkers in need will be able to access the benefits they deserve without having to submit to this unneeded and burdensome requirement.”
The policy change was really …
Posted on May 18, 2012 at 5:42 am
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Housing Works’ Larry Bryant Testifies to FDA on Over The Counter HIV Tests
Today Housing Works’ Larry Bryant, Director of National Advocacy and Organizing testified before a panel of the Food and Drug Administration, who ultimately approved an over-the-counter HIV test (you can watch the proceedings here). If fully approved by the FDA, it could be soon purchased at your local drug store.
Housing Works’ official position paper can be read in its entirety below. In short, we believe that
Given the goal of reducing HIV infection rates, over the counter testing adds an additional tool to our prevention tool kits. They enhance self-determination and control over ones HIV risk. They increase people’s ability of learning their status and, assuming proper care is taken with packaging materials, can protect people’s privacy. Packaging …
Posted on May 15, 2012 at 12:32 pm
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Most Americans Support Transgender Legal Protections: What’s Albany Waiting For?
A new national survey shows that an overwhelming majority of people believe transgender people deserve legal protections. The majorities hold true even across Democratic and Republican lines, and across different Christian denominations.
The Public Religion Research Institute surveyed more than 1,000 people by phone regarding their attitudes about transgender civil and legal protections. Here’s what they found:
- Approximately 9-in-10 (89%) Americans agree that transgender people deserve the same rights and protections as other Americans.
- More than 8-in-10 (81%) Americans agree that legal protections for gay and lesbian people should also include transgender people.
Three-quarters of Americans agree that Congress should pass laws to protect transgender people from job discrimination.
- Solid majorities of every major religious group agree …
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 3:38 pm
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ADAP Watch: AIDS Drug Wait List Hits 2,759
As of May 10th, the wait list to receive lifesaving AIDS medication through the nation’s AIDS Drug Assistance Programs had hit 2,759 people across 10 states.
The number of people waiting to receive medication through state-run AIDS drug programs has increased more than 5,000 percent since August 2009, according to the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors. The federal government has reacted with little urgency, however, allotting just $25 million in additional dollars to the program for FY 2012.
To help readers keep tabs on the growing Read More
Posted on May 14, 2012 at 12:45 pm
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Bernie Sanders Bill Funds Global AIDS Drugs by Patent Buyout
Housing Works has been advocating (along with our friends at VOCAL-NY and Health GAP) for a global Robin Hood Tax—a small tax on the wealthy that would create a fund for HIV treatment access for people across the globe.
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced a bill that will soon be analyzed by the Congressional Budget Office that would do something very similar!
The Huffington Post reports that the bill S.1138 which has been proposed by Nobel Prize winning economist Joseph Stiglitz, “would set up a $3 billion-a-year prize fund to buy out existing and future patents for AIDS drugs. The fund would compensate drug companies and researchers for their work. The patent would then be placed in …
Posted on May 10, 2012 at 5:15 pm
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Four Cynical Reasons for Obama’s Marriage Evolution
OK so I hate to be the cynic in the lovefest. But as historic and groundbreaking as it was to have a sitting US President declare his support for the legalization of same-sex marriages, let’s look at the reasons why this was good politics more than a moral imperative.
1. Obama needs gay money. According to Buzz Feed, that announcement alone raked in the dough. Within 90 minutes of the endorsement, his re-election campaign received $1million in donations. They also report that 1 in 6 of Obama’s top fundraisers are gay men. In 2011, the New York same-sex marriage bill happened in large part because four Republican NYS legislators went against the GOP and supported the bill and were rewarded
…Posted on May 10, 2012 at 12:33 pm
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GENDA Battle Heats Up in Albany
Empire State Pride Agenda Equality & Justice Day Calls for Transgender Rights
By: Carmelita Cruz, Director of NYS Advocacy & Organizing
Housing Works transgender activists and allies joined hundreds of activists from across New York State on Tuesday, May 8th for the Pride Agenda’s annual Equality & Justice Day. The focus of this year’s event was transgender rights: passage of the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA), transgender healthcare issues and LGBT youth housing.
The day held workshops, caucus’, legislative office visits and a rally that was moved inside due to the weather. But it didn’t dampen the spirits of the folks in the room. Chanting and applause could be heard throughout the Concourse during the afternoon in-door rally where …
Posted on May 9, 2012 at 10:05 am
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ADAP Watch: AIDS Drug Wait List Hits 2,704
As of May 3rd, the wait list to receive lifesaving AIDS medication through the nation’s AIDS Drug Assistance Programs had hit 2,704 people across 10 states.
The number of people waiting to receive medication through state-run AIDS drug programs has increased more than 5,000 percent since August 2009, according to the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors. The federal government has reacted with little urgency, however, allotting just $25 million in additional dollars to the program for FY 2012.
To help readers keep tabs on the growing ADAP crisis, we are now …
Posted on May 8, 2012 at 11:03 am
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