AIDS United at United States Conference on AIDS

Thursday, November 10

Exhibit Booth

Stop by booth #214 to chat with AIDS United staff and to get more information about AIDS United's grantmaking, technical assistance, regional organizing and national advocacy.  

AIDS United Institute

10:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon: Mapping Pathways

With more than 2 million new infections a year, over 56,000 of which occur in the United States, the current array of HIV prevention options is inadequate. The multi-national Mapping Pathways project is looking at new antiretroviral-based prevention strategies to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Be among the first to hear and discuss the initial results and insights of Mapping Pathway’s groundbreaking work to gather community and expert insights into the varied uses of ARVs as prevention - from pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to microbicides to Treatment and Linkage to Care Plus (TLC+) treatment as prevention. Email zfellows1@aidsunited.org to RSVP!

AIDS United Institute

1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.: HIV/AIDS and Election 2012

Join AIDS United at the U. S. Conference on AIDS Thursday, November 10 from 1:45 – 5:30 in the Columbus Room for HIV/AIDS and Election 2012. Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois will kick off our session talking about what’s on the line in 2012 for the HIV/AIDS community, how advocates can get candidates to make HIV a priority, and how we can work with lawmakers once elected to advance HIV/AIDS issues and hold them accountable for promises made. We will also provide important information on what election activities non-profit organizations can legally engage in, how to educate and mobilize voters, how to build state and regional plans to raise the profile of HIV/AIDS issues, and how to respond to voter suppression efforts. Other speakers include AIDS United’s Policy and Advocacy Team, Larry Bryant of Housing Works, and Delia Coleman of the Donors Forum. We hope to see you there! Email zfellows1@aidsunited.org to RSVP!

 

Mark Ishaug4:30 pm – 6:30 pm: Corporate and Foundation Panel

AIDS United President & CEO Mark Ishaug will participate in the Corporate and Foundation panel. The panel will focus on the history of foundation/corporate giving in the HIV/AIDS field; the current priorities for foundation in HIV/AIDS; and future plans and investments. The session will also focus on recommendations for grant-writers; and major success collaborations within the corporate/foundation field in HIV/AIDS.

 

Friday, November 11

2:15 pm to 4:15 pm: Gay Men's Policy

Ronald Johnson, AIDS United's Vice President of Policy and Advocacy, will present on the first panel .  This session will consist of two panel discussions. The first will be a national perspective. Topics covered will include the federal budget, the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, the Affordable Care Act and how all of these affect gay men. The second panel of community and health department panelists will talk about local solutions to the national perspective.

 

4:30 pm - 6:30 pm: The Ryan White Program and the 2012 election, 2013 Reauthorization and 2014 Health Care Expansion. What Next?

William McColl, AIDS United's Political Director, will lead a panel of health care and political experts, to discuss the history of the Ryan White CARE Act, the largest federal program devoted solely to HIV/AIDS, what it has accomplished, what its current importance is and what is likely to happen during the reauthorization process prior to September 2013. Congress passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 which greatly expands access to health care for many people living with HIV. Panelists will look at the concept of whether the Ryan White Program will continue to exist in its present form, since it is the payer of last resort. The discussion is intended to help the Ryan White Work Group to continue formulating strategy for potential reauthorization including helping to decide whether reauthorization after the 2012 election will make sense and what circumstances will create the greatest gains in treatment and services for people living with HIV.

 

jessica terlikowski4:30 pm – 6:30 pm: It’s an HIV Prevention Revolution: Promising New Strategies for Gay Men

Jessica Terlikowski, AIDS United's Director of Regional Organizing, will be leading the female condom discussion of this session which will focus on how this prevention tool, the FC2, can be used for anal sex to reduce the risk of HIV and STI infections.

 

Saturday, November 12

9:30 am - 11:30 am From Defense to Scale Up - Syringe Exchange and Federal, State and Local Advocacy Efforts

William McColl will participate in this workshop to promote dialogue on syringe exchange scale-up among policy makers, service providers, community members and other stakeholders. Participants will learn the current status of federal law, implementation guidance from the Department of Health and Human Services, and how to join coalition advocacy efforts to oppose restoration of the funding ban. They will share strategies to establish and expand syringe access throughout the U.S., and tools and resources to engage local authorities in advocating for scaling up syringe exchange to eliminate HIV transmission among IDUs.

 

1:45 pm - 3:45 pm: Ensuring Necessary Funding for Domestic HIV/AIDS Programs

Ronald Johnson will participate in this session designed to describe the state of federal funding for domestic HIV/AIDS programs, particularly the Ryan White Program, including ADAP, HIV prevention at the CDC, research at the NIH, and Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS, in a time of federal budget constraints. Additionally, they will discuss the status of policy issues that often are attached to annual appropriations bills that can limit the operation and/or implementation of HIV/AIDS and related programs. With a record budget deficit, pressure to reduce discretionary spending and elected officials who are committed to reducing the size of the federal government, funding for domestic HIV/AIDS programs is under threat. This is occurring at the same time demand for HIV services is growing, state and local budgets have been cut, there are a record number of people on ADAP waiting lists, and the National HIV/AIDS Strategy is being implemented. The audience will be provided an update of the Fiscal Year 2012 funding debate with information on where the process stands, how much funding is being proposed for the various HIV related programs, and what policy issues have been included in the bills.

 

vignetta charles1:45 pm - 3:45 pm: Creating Better Interventions - A Successful Model of Support for Community-Based Organizations Conducting HIV Prevention Work with At-Risk Women

Vignetta Charles, AIDS United's Senior Vice President, will present with a technical assistance team of HIV prevention scientists from San Francisco State University’s Health Equity Institute about an innovative funding and capacity building model, GENERATIONS, for women-focused HIV prevention programs; based on a partnership with Johnson and Johnson. The goal of GENERATIONS is to empower local organizations to either develop new, innovative interventions based on behavioral change theories or to adapt proven prevention models for specific populations of women and girls at high risk for infection. Two key components of the GENERATIONS model are a four-month formative and four-month pilot phase in which organizations work closely with the technical assistance team and evaluators to conduct intensive research, pilot testing, and formative evaluation prior to implementing their interventions. This workshop will highlight lessons learned from our experience as well as provide an opportunity for hands-on technical assistance around HIV prevention interventions for women and girls.