Home > About Us > News & Media > News Archive > Arizona AIDS Service Organizations meet chronic needs

03/02/2009

Arizona HIV/AIDS Public Health

During this time of economic downturn, AIDS Service organizations save Arizona taxpayers more than $38.4 million a year based on avoided hospital costs.[1]

In one year, what would happen if Arizona's three AIDS service organizations close their doors due to lack of federal funding?

• Taxpayers would pay at least $38.4 million in covering medical costs for those impacted by the disease.

• More than 50,000 at-risk individuals would not learn about HIV/AIDS prevention.

• Thousands of additional new HIV/AIDS infections would NOT be diagnosed each year, of which more than half would be young adults under the age of 25.

• New HIV/AIDS medications would not be tested through clinical trials.

Arizona AIDS Service organizations face alarming funding cuts while Arizona's needs are growing. Arizona's AIDS organizations have lost more than one million in federal Ryan White support in the past three years. (Southwest Center alone has lost more than $600,000 in federal support during the past three years and Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation has lost more than $300,000.)

In the past, the federal government funded many support services that help people with HIV/AIDS stay on medications, and reduce the spread of infection. The CDC's newest numbers clearly prove that HIV/AIDS is a larger problem than originally thought, as infection rates have been understated by 40 percent.

Arizona's HIV/AIDS cases continue to grow;

federal government funding continues to shrink.

Arizona AIDS service organizations serve some of the state's poorest residents. Most cannot afford to pay for services. With the loss of government funding and the downturn in the U.S. economy, Arizona's AIDS Service Organizations cannot raise funds fast enough to keep up with the loss of traditional sources of support.

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed the special session budget package in the final hours of January 2009, shoring up a $1.6 billion state budget shortfall. As the Arizona budget ax falls, lawmakers are facing a budget deficit that could reach $3 billion next year. Notably, one of the programs to be cut was free care for Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System's (AHCCCS) enrollees. Enrollees will now have to pay monthly premiums, impacting underserved populations including minority communities and those living well below the poverty line.

We ask for your support of federal funding for HIV/AIDS wellness services

and prevention programs to address this long-term disease.

Recently, while debating the proposed economic stimulus bill, the U.S. Senate stripped $2.35 billion for prevention and wellness activities by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that included $335 million for domestic HIV/AIDS, viral hepatitis, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), and tuberculosis prevention programs, $954 million for immunization programs, and $30 million for public health workforce development activities. The Senate bill does include $400 million for testing and prevention of HIV and STDs, and $750 million for additional vaccinations.

The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act, first passed in 1990 and known now as the Ryan White Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Treatment Modernization Act of 2006, is the single largest federal program specifically designed to help people living with HIV and AIDS. After Medicaid and Medicare, it is the third-largest source of federal funds to support the medical and care needs of half a million of the lowest-income Americans living with HIV/AIDS. The program has remained essentially flat-funded. Support services have been dramatically impacted at the local level, causing nonprofits to either scramble to raise the money privately to continue providing nutrition support and other support services to offset the horrible effects of the medications, or drop the services altogether.

HIV/AIDS is a chronic, long-term disease

requiring long-term support

for those impacted.

HIV/AIDS in Arizona

Arizona ranked 21^st among the 50 states in number of reported AIDS cases in 2005. Arizona received $5,717,822 in CDC funding in 2006.

• CDC Arizona HIV/AIDS Profile 2007

The Ryan White Treatment Modernization Act recognizes metropolitan areas with a cumulative total of more than 2,000 cases of AIDS during the most recent five-year period and a population of 50,000 or more as eligible for Part A funding. Phoenix, Arizona is one of 22 Metropolitan areas recognized as eligible in the United States for these funds and received $4,970,250 out of $303,113,785 established for these regions.

• HRSA (Human Resources and Services Administration) Ryan White Part A Eligibility Report

Arizona has the second highest teen pregnancy rate in the nation. Arizona's teen pregnancy rate is 104 pregnancies per 1000 young women ages 15-19, significantly higher than the national rate of 84 pregnancies per thousand.

• National Campaign to End Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy. "State Profile: Arizona." Source: http://www.teenpregnancy.org/america/stateSummary.asp?stateId=3 on March 1, 2008.

Of high school students, 43 percent in Arizona reported ever having sex, and 47 percent nationwide.

• Eaton DK et al. Youth risk behavior surveillance, United States, 2005. Morbidity & Mortality Weekly Report 2006;55 (SS-5):1-108.

Of those who reported being sexually active, 55 percent of Arizona youth reported using a condom at last intercourse, compared to 68 percent nationwide.

• Arizona Sexual Violence Prevention and Education Program. "2005 Youth Risk Behavior Survey Results: Arizona (Including Charter Schools) High School Survey." Source: http://www.azrapeprevention.org/statistics/2005AZYRBS/2005YRBSTrendReport.pdf on March 1, 2008.

More Arizonans will be diagnosed with HIV/AIDS in Arizona due to HB 1113

We will see more people who need both the core primary care services, as well as support services with the passage of Arizona Senate Bill 1113. Thanks to this bill, HIV testing now will be a part of routine clinical care in hospitals, community clinics and primary care settings unless the patient chooses to opt out.

Consistent with CDC recommendations, this bill will help more people become aware of their HIV/AIDS status and get into primary care. But as more people know their status, the demand for HIV/AIDS support services will rise, too.

HIV Disproportionately Affects Minorities in Arizona

• In 2005, the rate of new diagnoses of HIV was four times as high among African Americans/Blacks in Arizona.

• Young African American/black women are especially at risk: the HIV rate among African American/black women is eight times the state rate and fifteen times the rate for white women.

• Because Hispanic/Latino young people are less likely to be insured and more likely to live in medically underserved areas, it is believed that HIV infection may be severely underreported for this population.

• Men who have sex with men account for the majority of HIV infections in Arizona (59 percent), while heterosexual sex and intravenous drug use account for ten percent and thirteen percent respectively.

Arizona's Youth, Especially Young Women, Are At Risk for STIs*

• Youth and young adults ages 15-24 experienced more than one-half of the total number of Chlamydia cases in Arizona in 2006.

• Youth ages 15-24 experienced more than one-half of the total number of Gonorrhea cases in Iowa in 2006.

• In this age range, young women were most at risk for STIs, experiencing 80 percent of Chlamydia infections and 56 percent of gonorrhea infections.

• Of high school students, 43 percent in Arizona reported ever having sex, compared to 47 percent nationwide.

• Of those who reported being sexually active, 55 percent of Arizona youth reported using a condom at last intercourse, compared to 68 percent nationwide.

* Arizona Department of Health Services

Arizona's AIDS Service Organizations

Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS

Southwest Center for HIV/AIDS is Arizona's oldest and largest nonprofit AIDS service organization providing a combination of prevention, research and wellness support to serve 70 percent of Arizona's nearly 13,000 residents infected with HIV/AIDS who live in the metro-Phoenix area, in Maricopa County.

Since 1988, Southwest Center has been on the front lines addressing a steady increase in the demand for HIV/AIDS testing and counseling, prevention education, wellness support services, and clinical trials to help Arizona men, women and teens impacted by the disease.

• In 2008, Southwest Center saved Arizona taxpayers an estimated $16 million in avoided hospital stays. Through our community prevention and education initiatives, we reach out to more than 25,000 individuals who are at-risk for obtaining and transmitting HIV and AIDS.

• In 2008, we provided 110 participants with new, life-saving medications through the Southwest Center's 15-year clinical trial program. Our clinical trials research program has helped bring 26 of the 28 available HIV/AIDS drugs to market.

• Southwest Center is ready to help the 4,300 Arizonans who are HIV-positive and are not aware of their disease because they are not yet undiagnosed.

• As our Valley continues to grow, unfortunately the cases of HIV/AIDS continue to grow as well. In 2008, Southwest Center's HIV testing program has grown by 26.9 percent over the prior year.

Visit the Web site www.swhiv.org for more information or call 602-307-5330.

Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation

In 1985, a few concerned citizens decided to make a difference in this community's response to AIDS: they formed the Tucson AIDS Project (TAP), followed shortly by the Shanti Foundation. In 1987, a group of people living with HIV/AIDS incorporated their grassroots advocacy efforts into the People with AIDS Coalition of Tucson, PACT for Life. Thousands have joined over the years in a community effort to meet the many challenges HIV/AIDS presents for Southern Arizona.

In 1997, again responding to the needs of their clients and community, PACT, Shanti, and TAP merged under the name Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF) creating one of the largest nonprofit consolidations in the history of Pima County. SAAF continues the traditions of PACT, Shanti, and TAP, providing direct services and programs in safe, supportive environments that enhance the quality of life for those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS; assisting people in avoiding HIV infection; and empowering people to lead healthy, productive lives.

Today, SAAF continues to be the only community-based organization in Southern Arizona providing case management and ancillary support services for people living with HIV/AIDS and their families, culturally appropriate prevention and education programs to reduce the rate of infection, and extensive trainings and opportunities for community members to fill critical support roles.

Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF) serves approximately 1,200 clients, providing direct client support services include Case Management , Complementary Therapies, Food for Life, Food Pantry, Housing, Medication Assistance Program (MAP), Peer Counseling and Transportation. SAAF also reaches out to the Southern Arizona region with more than eight prevention programs.

Visit the Web site www.saaf.org for more information or call 520-628-7223.

Northland Cares

Northland Cares provides HIV/AIDS testing, medical, nutrition and behavioral health services to clients in Northern Arizona with offices in Prescott, and satellite offices in Cottonwood and Payson. HIV testing is provided throughout all of Northern Arizona. The mission of Northland Cares is to improve the quality of life of those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in Northern Arizona.

Visit the Web site www.northlandcares.org for more information or call 928-776-4612.