Community Re-Connect for HIV

[Oceanbeach]

Good Evening Forum Friends,

With all the current press delegating HIV/AIDS as no longer being a death threat and the Ryan White CARE Act coming to a close, the next subject is... How do we help long term suvivors and newly diagnosed continue to get the needed care and services?

We sold out life insurance policies for the promise of a better life at 10 cents on the dollar.

We have not had a job in a decade or more- red flag on an application/resume.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not allow a potential employer to discriminate in hiring over a disability but there is always a better qualified applicant and good luck with your endeavors, blah, blah, blah.

With over 40 million disabled Americans, the SSA started the Return to Work program offering tax breaks to employers who hire the disabled but, those participating offices never have had a placement service in the 4 years of existence.  They do offer counseling and resume writing services.

What are we going to do with diminishing benefits and increasing HIV case loads on the system?  One of my projects, the Re-Entry Task Force is getting ready for ROUND # 2.  The Re-Entry Task Force is now the Community Re-Connect Task Force, founded by persons living with HIV and for persons living with HIV/AIDS.

Half of the people who attended our first function in January said they are wanting to return to work are currently working or actively looking for work.  Last month, the Sonoma County Commission on AIDS voted the task force to be a non-funded service category so we could not be forgotten.

Volunteer grant writers are searching for start-up capital and interviewing potential employers for HIV positive applicants.  Questions are going to have to be answered such as, how would an HIV positive applicant better represent themselves to a potential employer?  How does that applicant get selected for a position over "healthy applicants"?  How does that person get and maintain health insurance in an economy where health insurance is at a premium and companies are trying to reduce costs?  How do we educate the company to change its company culture and actually hire the HIV positive applicant?

As I spend every Monday afternoon on the Funding Allocation Working Group, trying to develop a workable budget for care and services with reduced funding and knowing it can only get worse, a temporary solution has come to surface.  The Bush Administration has not yet started reducing HOPWA funds yet (this year).  We are going to be forced to use HOPWA funds to cover some portion of Case Management salaries.  The mover-in grants wioll have to be reduced, the Housing Assistance funds will be reduced again this FY and people who signed up on the housing lottery last October will have to wait longer to get Section 8 assistance because on thing is perfectly clear, payroll is hallowed ground and those who are working are not taking any pay cuts to ensure any of us have a roof over our heads next year.

California is expecting to lose about $20 million per year for care and services of all people living with HIV/AIDS.  These budget cuts will begin on March 1, 2007.  That is from the Title I funding, Titles II, III, and IV are also taking a proportionate hit.  There is a Fiscal Agent in every state and in every county who is trying to make cuts in services so existing federal dollars can keep 1.1 million people currently living with HIV/AIDS in America and 40,000 newly diagnosed in quality care and services.

Our Community Re-Connect Task Force is trying to help the formerly unemployable get jobs with benefits, the never employed get training for work with benefits and for those of us who are just not feeling well enough, to try an volunteer a few hours per week at the local ASO's to get isolated people out of the house and help support the care infrastructure with some quality help in hard times.

Of course it is not too late to send out some letters to the legislators.  Some sample letters and the Washington DC addresses of the SEnat Committee on Budget, Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions, the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Subcommittee on Health can be found in the Support tab of www.Commission-on-AIDS.org.  Please allow 10 days quarantine for all mail going to the House of Representatives and Senate Office Buildings.  Have the best day
Michael

[Trish]

As I spend every Monday afternoon on the Funding Allocation Working Group, trying to develop a workable budget for care and services with reduced funding and knowing it can only get worse, a temporary solution has come to surface.  The Bush Administration has not yet started reducing HOPWA funds yet (this year).  We are going to be forced to use HOPWA funds to cover some portion of Case Management salaries.  The mover-in grants wioll have to be reduced, the Housing Assistance funds will be reduced again this FY and people who signed up on the housing lottery last October will have to wait longer to get Section 8 assistance because on thing is perfectly clear, payroll is hallowed ground and those who are working are not taking any pay cuts to ensure any of us have a roof over our heads next year.

    I just don't know what to say, other than, PEOPLE SUCK!!!  This all makes me very sad.

Michael, you truly are a remarkable person and I'm thankful that you are out there fighting for our rights... all the work you do is commendable and deserves recognition. Your efforts are noticed, so allow me to say...

THANK YOU MICHAEL
FOR PUTTING UP THE
GOOD FIGHT FOR
ALL OF US!! 

YOU ARE AMAZING!!!

And thanks for posting all the information for us... I've learned much from you.  Thanks for the education.  And continue to do good...we're all behind you 110%, if not more.  We're proud & lucky to have you behind out there fighting.

Have the best day!

All my love,

Trish

[Oceanbeach]

Trishie Mon Dear,

Thank you ever so for your good words and support.  I think what we need to do as Activists is to start our Planning Counsils in rethinking care and treatment programs to include Re-Entry as a possible solution as a means to relieve the over burdoned care infrastructure by helping persons like us to return to work and make more room for those who simply can't.   Since the RWCA is winding down and the funding is limited (at best), my project here on the forums will be to provide information to help others start similar programs in their communities.

The first step is needs assessment: 
How many people are out there and what are their needs. 
What local services are available
How can those local service agenices  help
How will current benefits be impacted by new income
And more

The next step is how do we get the word out as we all have confidentiality issues.  Case Management needs to be included in this process because they have the inside story on all of their clients.

There is a lot to think about and this type of project can be a real benefit to those living with HIV/AIDS in our current economy.  I have another Re-Entry meeting on Monday afternoon and will keep this thread updated as the program develops locally.  Have the best day
Michael

www.Commission-on-AIDS.org

[ademas]

This makes me want to stop meds and just give up. 
I'm tired.

[Oceanbeach]

NO! we do not stop taking meds, we do not give up.  There are 4 corners of the universe... North, South, East and West. We fight and we make things happen.  We are pawns in a political war, if we are not heard, we can be forgotten.

Look under the SUPPORT tab of my web site www.Commission-on-AIDS.org.  There are sample letters available to send to Congress, the names and addresses of the political decision makers are included.

The days of "Please Sir, may I have more?" are over, we vote, we write and we be heard.  Information technology has become very easy to collect valued information just by reaching out as we all do here in the forums.  This is the time to be heard and we all have the ability to do so.  When I started my battle with the RWCA reauthorization only 9 months ago, I knew the task was going to be monumental and the desired results may not come about, this time around but, as of this minute there are 505 members of the forums living with HIV/AIDS or concerned about a loved one who is.  We all have friends and family who are also capable of helping.

This is not the time to give up, this is the time to fill those mail boxes in Washington DC.  All it takes is a few minutes and a few stamps.  Have the best day
Michael

www.Commission-on-AIDS.org