Raising Our Voices: An Advocacy Summit for HIV-positive Women

1. Raising Our Voices:An Advocacy Summit for HIV-positive Women Policy Advocacy: A Southern Perspective Wednesday, March 6, 2012 Maya Wyche, MPH Program Manager

2. AIDS United:An Overview

3. AIDS United Merger • Merging of National AIDS Fund and AIDS Action • Stronger national organization that strategically connects funding, advocacy and capacity building programs • AIDS Action expertise pertinent to REACH: • Federal appropriations (Ryan White, ADAP, CNCS, etc.) • HIV prevention • Global HIV/AIDS • Mission • To end the AIDS epidemic in the United States

4. AIDS United Initiatives • Community Partnerships • AmeriCorps • Special Initiatives • Southern REACH • Access to Care • GENERATIONS • Puerto Rico • Syringe Exchange Fund • Policy & Advocacy

5. Southern REACH:An Overview

6. Southern REACH -Historical and Background Information • Focused on building the capacity of community based organizations to respond to and advocate for policies that address the needs of their communities since 2007 • Local, state and regional priorities to promote: • HIV-prevention strategies; • Protect and expand Medicaid eligibility; • Promote implementation of health care reform; and • Address stigma and criminalization of HIV/AIDS • Changing demographics in the South and federal, regional and state political landscape called for specific focus on the disproportionate impact of HIV on Hispanic populations and access to justice/law reform. • Funding one (1) organization to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the HIV/AIDS related needs of Latino populations in South

7. Our Organizing & Advocacy Vision • Invigorate, enhance, and support state and federal HIV/AIDS-related organizing and advocacy to achieve NHAS goals: • Reduction in HIV incidence • Increase in access to care & improvement of health outcomes for PLWHA • Reduction of HIV-related health disparities

8. Achieving Our Vision Through: Focusing regionally Strategic targeting of states Dedicating regionally located organizers Providing the tools and resources needed to support existing and new advocacy efforts Fostering greater communication, coordination, and collaboration among AU stakeholders, grantees, partners, and allies and across funding portfolios to exchange successful strategies and identify solutions to common challenges Working with AU grantees, partners, and allies to develop regional organizing, advocacy plans, and campaigns

9. Achieving Our Vision Through: Building skills and capacity among grassroots advocates and state leaders through provision of trainings, technical assistance, and coaching Building our base and cultivating new leaders through direct engagement of AU online advocates Facilitating bi-directional communication between AU and grantees, partners, and allies on political intelligence and ground activity Bolstering Hill work through increased coordination and communication between state advocates, field team, and DC staff

10. Southern REACH:Policy Issues

11. NHAS Goal 1:Reducing New HIV Infections • Step 1: Intensify HIV prevention efforts in the communities where HIV is most heavily concentrated. • Step 2: Expand targeted efforts to prevent HIV infection using a combination of effective, evidence-based approaches. • Step 3: Educate all Americans about the threat of HIV and how to prevent it.

12. NHAS Goal 1:Reducing New HIV Infections • REACH Long Term Goal: Increase and improve equitable access to quality prevention services across urban and rural areas • REACH Short Term Goals: • Increased array of prevention services in rural areas • Increased array/availability of and access to prevention services for Latino/Hispanic populations • Increased capacity of existing prevention providers in urban areas

13. NHAS Goal 2:Increasing Access to Care and Improving Health Outcomes for People Living with HIV • Step 1: Establish a seamless system to immediately link people to continuous and coordinated quality care when they learn they are infected with HIV. • Step 2: Take deliberate steps to increase the number and diversity of available providers of clinical care and related services for people living with HIV. • Step 3: Support people living with HIV with co-occurring health conditions and those who have challenges meeting their basic needs, such as housing.

14. NHAS Goal 2:Increasing Access to Care and Improving Health Outcomes for People Living with HIV • REACH Long Term Goal: Increase and improve equitable access to quality care services across urban and rural areas • REACH Short Term Goals: • Increased array of care services in rural areas • Increased array/availability of and access to care services for Latino/Hispanic populations • Increased capacity of existing care service providers in urban areas • Increased transportation services in rural areas • Increased access to and availability of legal services for PLWHA

15. NHAS Goal 2:Increasing Access to Care and Improving Health Outcomes for People Living with HIV • REACH Long Term Goal: Increase affordable housing options for persons at risk for and living with HIV/AIDS • REACH Short Term Goals: • Advocate for increased Housing opportunities for persons living with/@ risk for HIV/AIDS • Increased # of PLWHA/@ risk for HIV advocating for housing opportunities:

16. NHAS Goal 3:Reducing HIV-Related Disparities and Health Inequities • Step 1: Reduce HIV-related mortality in communities at high risk for HIV infection. • Step 2: Adopt community-level approaches to reduce HIV infection in high-risk communities. • Step 3: Reduce stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.

17. NHAS Goal 3:Reducing HIV-Related Disparities and Health Inequities • REACH Long Term Goal: Increase the utilization of the human rights framework to frame arguments about HIV prevention and care access in the South: • Gender equity; and • Reproductive Justice • REACH Short Term Goals: • Increased # of PLWHA/@ risk for HIV who: • Know how to advocate for policy change • Are engaged and supported by ASO/CBO organizations to advocate • Understand, address and articulate issues contributing to HIV/AIDS in their communities

18. NHAS Goal 3:Reducing HIV-Related Disparities and Health Inequities • REACH Long Term Goal: Repeal and resist the creation of state laws and policies that prevent access to care, treatment and prevention services • REACH Short Term Goals: • Increased # of legislators who: • Advocate on behalf of repealing/resisting criminalizing/ immigration laws and policies that negatively impact HIV transmission/care • Advocate - ADAP Funding Crisis/Medicaid Reform • Increased # of PLWHA/@ risk for HIV advocating for: • Law reform • Generally issues affecting persons living with /@ risk for HIV/AIDS and demonstrate improved Knowledge, Attitudes, Beliefs and Behaviors about HIV/AIDS

19. NHAS Goal 3:Reducing HIV-Related Disparities and Health Inequities • REACH Long Term Goal: Increase integration between fields and improve collaborative relationships between the HIV/AIDS arena and other intersecting issues affecting those at risk for and living with HIV/AIDS • REACH Short Term Goals: • Increased support for HIV/AIDS prevention/care advocacy: • Faith Based communities • School systems • General • Increased # of PLWHA/@ risk for HIV advocating for: • Increased prevention/care services options

20. Questions, Answers & Discussion