New York City Receives Failing Grade on AIDS Report Card; Major Rally Planned
AIDS activists from around the country are marking President Obama’s 50th day in office next Wednesday by issuing an AIDS report card to Obama, as well as to their own city and state governments. The results for New York City and State officials? New York City is flunking and New York State isn’t far behind.
“We’re issuing New York grades because, ultimately, it is up to cities and states to implement the national AIDS strategy we are hoping to see from Obama. Our performance has been abysmal: New York is slashing AIDS services and HIV prevention funds,” said Eric Bartley, a member of the New York City chapter of the Campaign to End AIDS, the national coalition that is issuing the Obama report cards.
New York City’s three largest AIDS groups—Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Harlem United and Housing Works—will participate in a rally of more than 400 people to bring attention to the report cards being issued to Obama, New York City and New York State.
WHEN: Wednesday, March 11 from 1pm to 3pm
WHERE: 263 West 125th Street
WHO: Campaign to End AIDS/New York City
See the New York City report card
See the New York State report card
See the Obama administration report card
Similar rallies and report cards are being issued by Campaign to End AIDS chapters in eight cities across the country.
New York City earned F’s for failing to expand access to housing for poor people living with HIV and for the proposed decimation of funding for legal and case management services. The city earned D’s for its failure to provide adequate housing for homeless people living with HIV/AIDS and for proposed cuts to HIV prevention and education.
New York State fared a little better. The governor’s efforts to reform Medicaid earned an A+, and the boost to public assistance earned the state a B. But a plan to eliminate highly successful job training and substance abuse services for poor people living with HIV/AIDS earned F’s, as did uncapped rent for New Yorkers in supportive AIDS housing.
Obama’s report card, to be released next week, focuses on the creation of a national AIDS strategy, to which he committed during his presidential campaign. Last summer C2EA launched the Stand Against AIDS, a nationwide effort to secure a commitment from Obama to create a national AIDS strategy within 100 days of taking office.
Posted on March 11, 2009 at 5:41 pm
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