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"Young men and women in the African-American community are being
infected at an alarming rate," Blagojevich said. "We must act now
and do all that we can to stop the spread of this disease. This
legislation will help the fight against HIV/AIDS by making more
testing locations available and making sure that everyone knows how
to avoid this deadly disease."
House Bill 2578, sponsored by Rep. Connie Howard, D-Chicago, and
Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, creates the African-American
HIV/AIDS Response Act. The law requires the Office of the Governor
and the Departments of Public Health, Corrections and Human Services
to each designate an African-American HIV/AIDS response officer
responsible for coordinating efforts to address the African-American
HIV/AIDS crisis within his or her respective office or department.
The law also requires that space be provided for additional testing
and counseling sites, using state agency facilities that are
considered high-traffic and accessible to the public. The testing
will be performed by a community-based organization in high-risk
communities.
"We are in a crisis situation with regards to the spread of HIV
in the African-American community," Howard said. "We need to act in
an aggressive way to stop young black men and women from being
infected. Offering free testing at additional sites and counseling
opportunities in communities of color will undoubtedly allow more
individuals the opportunity to get tested and educated about
prevention."
"The African-American community is being devastated by the
HIV/AIDS epidemic," Lightford said. "Dedicating a staff member to
address HIV/AIDS in the African-American community, with an emphasis
on the increase in black women within several state agencies, is a
giant step in the right direction and demonstrates how committed
this administration is to the fight against HIV. Knowledge and
education are important to fighting the battle with HIV."
House Bill 2578 also requires the Illinois Department of Public
Health to provide on its website HIV/AIDS educational materials
targeted to people presently or previously committed to the
Department of Corrections or confined in a county jail, as well as
family and friends of these individuals. Under this law, the
Illinois HIV/AIDS Policy and Research Institute at Chicago State
University will conduct a study to determine whether there is a
correlation between incarceration and HIV infection.
Let's Talk, Let's Test is a nonprofit organization that is
committed to raising HIV/AIDS awareness and encourages individuals
to know their HIV status. The organization supports HIV/AIDS service
providers and has coordinated a forum to discuss this legislation.
"Given the urgency in the African-American community to address
the HIV/AIDS epidemic, I am encouraged by the progressive action by
the governor and lawmakers to openly and honestly address this
problem," said Lloyd Kelly, director of Let's Talk, Let's Test.
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The legislation also calls for establishing the HIV/AIDS Response
Review Panel, within the Office of the Governor, which will be
comprised of representatives from the departments of Corrections,
Human Services and Public Health. The panel will be chaired by a
member appointed by the governor and will also include
representatives from HIV/AIDS organizations and two former
offenders. The panel will provide an annual report to the General
Assembly and the governor's office reviewing the implementation of
the act. In addition, the bill requires the Department of
Corrections to offer all incarcerated individuals confidential HIV
testing and, for those who test positive, related services -- many
of which are currently provided by Department of Corrections. County
jails are also required to provide incarcerated individuals with
information about HIV and confidential testing.
The law becomes effective Jan. 1, 2006.
The governor has addressed the issue
of HIV/AIDS within the African-American community in the following
ways:
-
Added $3 million in HIV
prevention funds specifically targeting minority communities to
combat the rapid growth of HIV in African-American and Hispanic
populations.
-
Boosted funding by $3 million
dollars to the AIDS Drug Assistance Program -- during a time of
budget constraints -- to sustain the growth and expansion of the
program. While other states are creating waiting lists for a
similar service and capping enrollment, Illinois continues to
offer more life-prolonging medicines that also improve the
quality of life.
-
Allocated funds for peer
education HIV prevention programs in Illinois adult and juvenile
correctional facilities in order to decrease the continued
spread of HIV.
-
Signed landmark HIV prevention
legislation allowing adults at least 18 years of age to purchase
and possess up to 20 syringes from a pharmacy without a
prescription. People purchasing syringes are provided with
department-approved drug treatment and prevention education
materials. National research has found that by allowing the
legal purchase of syringes, less people are sharing needles,
which is one of the riskiest behaviors for becoming infected
with HIV.
-
Funded the Champaign Urbana
Public Health District Division's "Wellness on Wheels" program.
The mobile van travels into poverty-stricken neighborhoods and
provides free HIV testing and counseling to high-risk
communities, low-income and homeless populations.
- Launched the HIV/AIDS: Communities of Color Initiative to
provide outreach and education programs throughout the state, as
well as links to local health departments and community-based
organizations for testing and treatment. An ongoing social
marketing campaign, "Know Your Status -- Get Tested," was
featured in newspapers throughout the state, and this month it
will be heard on radio stations statewide.
For more information on HIV/AIDS, visit
www.idph.state.il.us or
call the Illinois HIV/AIDS and STD Hotline, 1 (800) 243-2437.
[News release from the governor's
office] |
