Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1997. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
PR Newswire, Tuesday November 25, 3:34 pm Eastern Time
Colleagues in Washington who joined Waters in supporting this allocation include: United States Senators Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer, and Waters' fellow United States Representatives Julian Dixon, Jane Harmon and Lucille Roybal-Allard. The measure was signed by President Clinton last week and the funds provided now allow AIDS Healthcare Foundation to spearhead its new S.T.A.R.T. Program-Success Through Anti-Retroviral Treatment.
AIDS Healthcare Foundation's START program will adapt and convert some under-utilized hospice beds at AHF's two houses for people with AIDS to an intensive, short-term residential program for people with non-medical risks (i.e. homelessness, poverty, or other possible impediments to developing proper adherence to the complex, yet highly-successful combined drug therapies for AIDS) for failure on the new AIDS treatments.
Goals of AIDS Healthcare Foundation's START program are to provide:
* 24-hour support from expert nurses and physicians to mitigate side-effects of new AIDS drugs
* a short-term, stable living environment to allow the patient time and confidence to master his or her drug regimen
* transition to a stable home environment supportive of ongoing treatment adherence
"I want to thank Congresswoman Waters and all her colleagues who worked diligently to secure these funds for Californians with HIV," said Michael Weinstein, AIDS Healthcare Foundation President. "It is an unfortunate reality that despite newfound hope offered by these drug therapies, issues of access to treatment remain significant for women and people of color. Our START program's primary goal: making sure everyone has a fair shot at succeeding on these new treatments."
Despite recent dramatic advances in the fight against AIDS, women and people of color are not benefiting from the new treatments to the degree enjoyed by others (Recent CDC reports indicate AIDS deaths among white men declined 28%, compared with 10% among African Americans, and 16% among Latinos. By gender, the decline was 22% among men, but only 7% among women). To correct such discrepancies, access to new treatments must be inclusive, and AHF's START program-with the vote of confidence these legislators and federal dollars infuse-may just help achieve such parity.
Earlier in November, AHF's patients benefited when federal health authorities from the Federal Health Resource Services Administration (HRSA) awarded over $450,000 in new funds for medical services to AHF. Together, these federal funds go a long way helping AHF adapt its delivery of quality care to meet the rapidly changing face of AIDS.
These two federal allocations also highlight the leadership position the federal government is taking on critical AIDS funding issues. AHF has been in a long-simmering tug-of-war with L.A. County officials over AIDS funding. Recently, this battle with the County hit fever pitch. As Thanksgiving approaches, AIDS Healthcare Foundation is grateful for these new federal funds and for the leadership the federal government is demonstrating to State and L.A. County officials on crucial AIDS funding matters.
AHF serves over 5,000 Greater Los Angeles patients regardless of their ability to pay at 4 out-patient health care centers, 2 residential facilities; the WomensCare Center; through Positive Healthcare, the first AIDS specific managed care program in the nation; and through AHF's Research and Pharmacy Divisions, and through AHF's Treatment=Life Division featuring the WEHO Lounge, the nation's first coffee house/HIV testing and information center.
SOURCE: AIDS Healthcare Foundation
Copyright (c) 1997/PR NewsWire. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Permissions Desk, PR Newswire, 810 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10019.
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