Monday, February 7th is National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day!
Join VOCAL-NY, Save NY’s Safety Net Coalition, PLWHA, and community members from throughout the Capital Region on Monday, February 7th @ 11AM as we call upon Governor Hochul to bring an end to Cuomo’s legacy of cutting funding for housing for PLWHA (People Living with HIV/AIDS) in NYS!
What: National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day Press Conference
When: Mon, 2/7 @ 11AM
Where: NYS Capitol Building (State Street Entrance) Albany
RSVP @ WWW.VOCAL-NY.COM/SAVE-THE-NET
Background:
HIV/AIDS Service Providers and AIDS Housing facilities depend on funds generated from 340B program to provide 2.3 million underserved New Yorkers care and services. Approximately 70% of those individuals are people of color and nearly 90% are low-income.
The Cuomo-era carve-out will rob safety net facilities of more than $100 million in revenue, which could force the shuttering of food pantries and the closure of AIDS clinics statewide. The plan will also eliminate jobs, as nearly 90% of health centers would dismiss or lay off staff and 32 clinics would be forced to close.
The world has changed dramatically since the 340B carve-out was first introduced. Black, Brown, Latinx, and underserved communities are hurting. Now is the time to invest and support the care provided by safety net facilities to the most vulnerable New Yorkers. Reducing funding to the clinics that serve them will only exacerbate inequities and potentially roll back progress to end New York’s AIDS epidemic.
We urge you to stand up for Black PLWHA by repealing this carve out. The modest benefit the state would realize as a result of this proposal’s implementation pales in comparison to the devastation that would be experienced by safety-net providers and the patients they serve. Now is the time to end this dangerous policy once and for all!
Contact: Luke 917-702-8781 Luke@vocal-ny.org or Lukee 838-217-0254 Lukee@vocal-ny.org