A3D Evaluations and Surveys

Did you participate in AIDS Awareness & Action Day, but not have a chance to submit feeback or surveys? It's not too late!

Provide feedback! If you weren't able to submit an A3D evaluation form at the event, take a few moments to complete our A3D 2009 Evaluation so we can make our 2011 event an even better experience!

Who participated in A3D? If you did not sumit an Anonymous Participant Survey at A3D, please consider following this link to do so now. The more demographic information we are able to collect about our advocates, the more effectively we can show our elected officials the diversity represented by community.

THANK YOU!

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HIV/AIDS Providers' Letter to the Governor and House & Senate Leaders

Many of you have requested a copy of the letter read at our Closing Ceremonies by Tim Killian, brother of Rob Killian, MD. Below, please find the sign on letter supported by various members of the HIV/AIDS provider community. This letter was included in each legislative visit and is a heartfelt and concerned stance on the issues at hand with the proposed budget cuts. Please join me in thanking all of those who joined in this effort!


February 18, 2009

The Honorable Chris Gregoire, Governor
Office of the Governor
PO Box 40002
Olympia, WA 98504-0002

The Honorable Frank Chopp
Speaker of the House
339C Legislative Building
PO Box 40600
Olympia, WA 98504-0600

The Honorable Lisa Brown
Senate Majority Leader
307 Legislative Building
PO Box 40403
Olympia, WA 98504-0403


Dear Governor Gregoire, Speaker Chopp, and Majority Leader Brown:

We know that Washington State is facing a profound financial crisis and a record deficit, and that as leaders you will be forced to make difficult choices during your deliberations over the state budget. However, we are writing to you today to implore you to retain funding for the many valuable AIDS and AIDS-related services in the state.

As health care professionals and HIV care providers we are committed to giving care to all who need it regardless of their ability to pay. However, our ability to provide care to those in financial need is directly tied to funding assistance we receive from the state.

As we look out at the landscape we see an ongoing crisis, with providers facing higher infection rates and growing challenges accessing quality care. On AIDS Awareness & Action Day (A3D), February 18, 2009, we will bring several hundred advocates to your offices and the state Capitol to highlight the challenges our community is facing.

On A3D we hope that you will remember that Washington State has been a leader not only in care for people with HIV/AIDS, but in addressing the challenge of covering uninsured children and adults. This state has been a national leader in making sure that the under and uninsured do not go without care or access to medications.

We not only fund the Evergreen Health Insurance Program (EHIP) well, but we fund prevention efforts and we fund the most nutritionally sound food program for the sick in the country. If we cut funding to these programs, all of the progress we have made will have been for nothing, and we face the prospect of turning people away, having some go uninsured and losing access to critical nutrition programs.

As physicians and healthcare providers we know that the uninsured receive care, but they receive it in clinics and emergency rooms when their condition is critical and requires the most costly forms of medical intervention. For every dollar we spend on prevention we save thousands if not hundreds of thousands in treatment costs down the road.

In the midst of a crisis that has tremendous human services implications is not the time tocut prevention efforts. From our perspective as providers who see patients every day, we see the demand for services increasing rather than diminishing.

We believe that our investment in services should be equal to the healthcare challenges confronting the State of Washington. Please do not cut these essential services.


Sincerely,

Robert Killian, MD
Jeffrey Olliffe, MD
Guy Forte, Rph
Darren Augenstein, PharmD
Peter Shalit, MD
David Aboulafia, MD
David Holt, ARNP
Vy Chu, MD
Steven Carzasty, MSW
Steven Burrows, MD
Wayne Dodge, MD
Jamie Hasse, LPN
Pat Hogan, ARNP
Michael Syputa, LPN
Jason Thams, PharmD


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THANK YOU FOR MAKING A DIFFERENCE! The fight is far from over!

We want to extend a big round of thanks to all of you who came from across the state to attend and support A3D! Thanks also for all the emails and posts from those not able to make it in person. Thanks to you, we had our largest participation ever and created HUGE awareness and presence with legislators. It was a productive day despite the cloud of more disappointing news about the larger deficit projections. Now, more than ever, we must keep our issues at the forefront and keep that amazing energy alive and moving forward throughout the Session.

THE FIGHT IS FAR FROM OVER! In fact, we have only begun. We are assembling all the meeting notes from A3D and following up with each legislator who took the time to visit with us.

Thanks to all who took the time to write their Thank You Notes. If you haven’t yet mailed yours, please do so as soon as possible and stay tuned for more detailed feedback.

Over the coming weeks, you will also be receiving more detailed information about specific ways to engage with your elected officials via the CAN Network. If you are not yet subscribed to this valuable and easy tool, please visit http://www.cannetwork.net/. This is the easiest and most efficient way to stay connected with your respective legislators. On behalf of the entire A3D planning team, thank you again for all your support, feedback, and continued interest to stay involved!

Marc England & Steve Gibbs
Co-Chairs, Public Policy Committee
Lifelong AIDS Alliance/A3D

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AIDS Awareness & Action Day Pictures Uploaded

You can see the entire album on the Facebook Page

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AIDS Awareness & Action Day Big Success

A LETTER FROM DAVID RICHART, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF LIFELONG AIDS ALLIANCE

Friends and Supporters of Lifelong AIDS Alliance,

Wednesday, February 18 was AIDS Awareness and Action Day (A3D), our advocacy day at the state capitol. We were fortunate to have 325 attendees representing 43 of 49 districts across Washington. The purpose of A3D was for participants in our state, both those living with HIV/AIDS and those who aren’t to meet with legislators to discuss the need for continued funding for vital programs.

A3D attendees encouraged their legislators to protect and restore $3 million to the HIV Early Intervention Program (EIP) budget. They also encouraged the preservation of $500,000 thousand for Nutrition Services for 200+ low-income individuals living with HIV/AIDS in Pierce, Snohomish and Kitsap Counties. Moreover, legislators were asked to restore cuts to HIV prevention budgets by opposing the $1.5 million cut in AIDS Omnibus Act funding.

During ceremonies throughout the advocacy day, many political officials joined us with some inspiring and supportive words. Among them were Attorney General Rob McKenna, Representative Marko Liias, Representative Jamie Pederson, Representative Jeannie Darneille, Senator Ed Murray, and City Council Members Sally Clark and Tim Burgess. We are thrilled to have bipartisan support for maintaining and increasing current HIV/AIDS funding in Washington state. Over the next few weeks, we look forward to seeing how the budget is balanced, and are optimistic that our efforts will be effective in protecting crucial funding for those living with HIV/AIDS.

Thanks,

David Richart

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Speaker of the House Frank Chopp

Seattle 43rd Meeting with Senator Murray

Marching to the Capitol

Seattle Capitol Hill 43rd District at A3D

AIDS Action Day with the Seattle 43rd District

45 of 49 districts represented at A3D

Registration at A3D in Olympia

9:30AM ASPEN at AIDS Action Day

Good questions from event participants:

Q: How do you request reimbursement for carpooling?

A: Good question. We will be able to provide carpooling reimbursements based on your gas receipts, under the condition that at least two other event participants ride in your car. During the event you’ll be able to stop by the resource table in the Legislative Building on the third floor where you can pick up an envelope already addressed for this purpose, and a gas reimbursement form. After you get home you can slip your gas receipts (dates on the receipt, as well as the distance between Olympia and your home, should be reasonable) into the envelope along with the form. We’ll process your reimbursement within 2-3 weeks.

There are several legislative districts where only 1-2 participants are registered. These participants will be exempt from having to meet the 2 passenger requirement. In general, they live in areas futher than 80 miles from Olympia.

Q: Can I bring a camera with me?

A: Please bring a camera! We'd love to collect your pictures after the event to encourage future participants to sign up for our event. Please email your digital photos to bonniel@llaa.org, or send an email requesting a mailing address your prints can be sent to. Thank you!

Q: Where can I leave my car if I'm taking a bus from Lifelong

If you reserved a spot on the bus departing from Lifelong, please don't park in Lifelong’s parking lot. These spots are subscribed to by our staff who pay a monthly fee to be able to use them. Please consider taking a bus. If that's not an option, we can park in one of many ALL DAY PARKING LOTS in this area. Please arrive 20 minutes earlier to find one. They should be wide open at 7am in the morning. Make sure to bring $10-15 in cash, as some of these lots do not take cards.

Logistics of the day are covered here, including transportation details: http://aidsactionday.blogspot.com/2009/02/a3d-orientation-materials.html

For a map of the entire legislative campus, please visit http://www.ga.wa.gov/images/campus-map.pdf


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Issue # 3: HIV Prevention

HIV Prevention Saves Lives and Money
Maintaining Our Commitment to Healthy Individuals

A record number of the Washington State residents, between 11,000 and 12,000, are living with HIV/AIDS today; 10-15% of them do not know their HIV positive status. AIDS Omnibus Act -funded HIV prevention programs seek to educate people who are HIV positive, to encourage HIV testing among individuals unaware of their status, and to provide age, gender, culture, and sexual orientation-appropriate HIV/AIDS education among those at risk for HIV. Utilizing funds through the landmark AIDS Omnibus Act, created in 1988 with broad bipartisan support, six lead health departments oversee the collaborative efforts of both public health and community-based organizations in their efforts to conduct sound and proven HIV prevention interventions. In 2001 new HIV infections numbered 568, in 2003 there were 554, and in 2007 there were 550. Thanks to the state’s investment infection rates have remained steady, even though HIV/AIDS infected population has consistently grown. There still is no cure or vaccine for HIV/AIDS, yet the Governor proposed to cut HIV prevention funding by 10%, or $1.5M in the next biennium. This budget reduction will cause infection rates to spike, and put an even bigger burden on our HIV/AIDS care system.

The fight against HIV is far from over, and what was true 21 years ago remains so today: every dollar effectively spent on HIV prevention saves not just lives, but in the long run, money.


The fight against HIV is far from over, and what was true 21 years ago remains so today: every dollar effectively spent on HIV prevention saves not just lives, but in the long run, money. HIV Prevention Campaigns work

A recent study released by CDC reflects the success of HIV prevention: HIV transmission rate in the U.S. has decreased by 89% since 1984 and 33% since 1997. At the beginning of the epidemic there were 44 transmissions per 100 people with HIV. By 2006, there were just under five transmissions per 100 HIV-positive people. Source: CDC fact sheet, December 2008.

Investing in HIV Prevention Is Cost-Effective

HIV prevention efforts in Washington State have stabilized the rate of new infections at 5-6% annually, preventing thousands of individuals from contracting the virus. A 2006 study projected that the average lifetime cost of HIV treatment is $618,900 in comparison to an estimated $13,000 required to provide a worker with training in HIV prevention.

Parameter Base Case

HIV lifetime treatment cost $618,900
Cost of brief intervention to reduce sexual risk (per client) $40
Cost of small group intervention to reduce sexual risk (per client) $300
Cost of drug use risk services (per client) $423
Cost of HIV counseling and testing (HIV- client) $37
Cost of HIV counseling and testing (HIV+ client) $115
Additional cost of intensive behavioral prevention services for HIV+ persons $600

Source: One Time Massive Effort Calculation: Assumptions, Holtgrave, Pinkerton, Merson: AJPM 2002

Community-based response to HIV/AIDS in our state is at a tipping point

And yet the need for these and other programs has never been greater. AIDS service organizations have endured over a decade of flat funding stretching scarce resources over an ever-growing population in need of HIV prevention education. Some organizations are no longer able to provide these vital services. For example, Blue Mountain Heart to Heart, the only AIDS service organization within a three hour radius of Walla Walla, recently laid off their only HIV prevention worker. Another organization specializing in working with communities of color in rural settings closed their doors last year in Yakima. Results of these closures are already showing in our state’s epidemiological data. Throughout Washington, infection rates among youth are increasing, especially outside King County, while the funds available for prevention programs are decreasing in real dollar terms.


Lifelong AIDS Alliance, and AIDS Service Organizations across Washington, Urge the State Legislature to Restore $1.5M for HIV Prevention


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Issue # 2: Preserving Nutrition Services for People Living with HIV/AIDS

Preserve: $500,000 Nutrition Services Investment for People Living with HIV/AIDS

Lifelong AIDS Alliance’s Chicken Soup Brigade provides nutrition services to low-income people living with HIV/AIDS in King, Snohomish, Kitsap and Pierce Counties. Over the last year we served 1,445 people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and other life-threatening conditions, and produced 171,141 meals and 38,481 grocery bags.

In 2007 Lifelong AIDS Alliance received $500,000 from 2007 Washington State legislature with a goal of studying the impact of Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT)[1] on low-income people living with chronic illnesses, and providing healthful, disease appropriate food to individuals managing multiple diagnosis. This grant currently provides over 200 individuals in Snohomish, Kitsap, and Pierce counties with meals and/or groceries, while allowing Lifelong to monitor their health outcomes, and evaluate for potential Medicaid cost-savings of MNT services.

Unfortunately, The Governor’s proposed budget included harmful cuts to HIV/AIDS care and prevention programs – including the funding Lifelong AIDS Alliance depends on to provide food services in Snohomish, Kitsap and Pierce Counties. While the research on the impact of MNT is producing very promising results, Lifelong AIDS Alliance is concerned that individuals participating in the study may soon lose a critical lifeline. Of the 229 PLWHA whose food services are at risk, 96 live in Snohomish County, 70 reside in Pierce County, while 63 live in Kitsap County. The demand for food services among low-income people living with HIV/AIDS in these communities is far greater, with a waitlist exceeding 30, and growing by 2-3 additional individuals each week.

Lifelong AIDS Alliance, Pierce County AIDS Foundation, and Kitsap County HIV/AIDS Foundation respectively request that the Legislature preserves this critical safety net for PLWHA in our communities by reallocating the $0.5M MNT grant in Department of Health’s budget from research to direct services.

This budget change would preserve critical food services for over 200 people living with HIV/AIDS in Snohomish, Pierce, and Kitsap Counties, while allowing Lifelong to continue to monitor health outcomes of program participants by downsizing the study and internalizing its cost.

Preserve $500,000 for vital food services to people living with HIV/AIDS!


[1] Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) is a nutrition service and procedure used to treat an illness, injury, or condition. MNT Involves an in-depth nutrition assessment of the patient or client; nutrition diagnosis; nutrition intervention, which includes diet therapy, counseling, or use of specialized nutrition supplements; and nutrition monitoring and evaluation

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Issue # 1: Restore $3M for EIP

Early Intervention Program Saves Washington Money
Medication and Insurance Assistance for People Living with HIV/AIDS

An HIV diagnosis opens the door to a complicated world of medical terms, drub regimens, insurance rules, and personal change. If the newly diagnosed person isn’t already in a low-income category, HIV likely puts them on the road to it. The cost of care can be financially debilitating. HIV will preclude someone from gaining private insurance if they don’t already have it. The drugs required to treat HIV can cost between $1,500 and $4,500 every month.

Washington employs a treatment entry point for people called the Early Intervention Program. Whether a person has HIV or has already progressed to AIDS, they start at EIP. The program covers health services and medications for HIV-positive people who have low to moderate income and who are not already on Medicaid or covered through Veterans Affairs. It also helps enrollees pay their insurance premiums for COBRA or the Washington State High-Risk Insurance Pool creating large savings for the state.

At a time of record enrollment, the Governor proposes to reduce EIP funding by $3M, or 13.2%. A record number of the state's residents, between 11,000 and 12,000, are now living with HIV. While the majority of these individuals are not dependent on state-funded programs, a worsening economy is bound to change that dynamic putting more stress on the lifeline of EIP. 3,377 people are currently enrolled in EIP, and 170 additional persons turn to EIP for help annually. Unrestored, the $3M cut will inevitably cost Washington millions more.

Every dollar spent on HIV care saves money and prevents new infections:
1. EIP is a lifeline, ensuring uninterrupted access to life-saving medications
For a disease that requires at least 95 percent adherence to prevent developing a resistance, taking medicine consistently is key. Research has shown that HIV-positive people who take breaks from their drug regimens are more likely to die prematurely. Source: Inflammatory and Coagulation Biomarkers and Mortality in Patients with HIV Infection, 2008 Oct 20

2. Providing access to care and medications avoids more costly ailments later
By maintaining an individual’s health through steady access to medical care, the cost of HIV/AIDS care can be greatly reduced. The annual cost of medical care for a person with early-stage HIV disease is $14,000 per year, in comparison to $37,000 per year for those with late-stage AIDS. EIP helps ensure such access to care, allowing clients to remain healthy, and in many cases, to return to work and contribute to our economy. Source: Distribution of health care expenditures for HIV-infected patients. 2006 Apr 1

3. Access to care and medications is an important component of HIV prevention
There is clear data that treating people with HIV significantly decreases their likelihood of transmitting HIV, helping curb down infection rates in our state.

Lifelong AIDS Alliance, and AIDS Service Organizations across Washington, Urge the State Legislature to Restore $3M for EIP. During these devastating times, holding the line on EIP funding is, in effect, a cut to a program barely coping with record demand.

EIP PROGRAM OVERVIEW


Early Intervention Program (EIP) is an assistance program helping eligible HIV positive people in Washington get health care to help with their HIV-related medical costs.

1. Services Provided:

Prescription medications
Limited HIV-related provider visits and tests
Limited dental care
Helps eligible clients get medical insurance
Aids in paying for insurance and premiums

2. Eligibility Requirements: Family income at or below 300% FPL

3. Enrollment: 3,377 clients

4. Race of clients served
· White 61.27%
· African American/Black 13.05%
· Multi-Racial 5.22%
· Asian 1.95%
· Amer. Indian/AK Native 1.56%
· Nat. Hawaiian/PI 0.64%

5. Gender of clients served: 86% male, 13.5 % female

6. Socio-economic status of clients served: 74.74% Less than 200% FPL 2,451

o 1,350 clients per month received medication
o 560 paid a monthly cost share

7. Funding
o Washington State budget allocated approximately $22.75 million annually to EIP last biennium, comprising 38% of EIP’s budget
o In 2008 additional revenue sources included: Federal 40%, Prescription Drug Rebates 21%

8. Costs of Services/Programs:
Rx Drugs 50%
Insurance 33%
Med/Lab 7%
Spenddown 6%
Administration 7%

Source: HIV Client Services Update EIP Brochure, November 2008.

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Student educators rally to help educate lawmakers

I would first like to thank A3D for allowing me to write on the blog and speak on behalf of the ASPEN team.

ASPEN (AIDS Student Peer Educators at Newport) is a team of students from Newport High School in Bellevue. We are selected through an application and interview process and ultimately whittled down to a team of 26 juniors and seniors. The main goal of this team is to educate our teenage peers throughout the Bellevue School District on the HIV/AIDS. Not only do we teach self developed lessons, but we also deliver many of the HIV and STD lessons mandated by Washington State.

With AIDS Action and Awareness Day fast approaching, the ASPEN team is rallying in support. The budget deficit in Washington State and around the country has created large cutbacks on important educational programs and because knowledge is the most effective way to decelerate this epidemic, losing these programs will be life threatening. We must realize that we have the opportunity to prevent the spread of HIV with education; education that will show the children of Washington state how to stay safe and protect themselves.

This is why ASPEN is backing the efforts of A3D and making our presence known in Olympia on the 18th, to continue the help and support of those affected by HIV/AIDS, and to prevent the spread altogether.

Matt Eschbach

ASPEN Educator

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Zan McColloch-Lussier on AIDS Action Day

I sat in amazement, and sadness, as I listened to one of Pride Foundation’s grantees from Butte, Montana describe to me how people with HIV in his town had to drive 5-6 hours to see a doctor who knows anything about their disease. He talked about how he had a serious infection, in winter, and had to traverse his state in whiteout conditions, because the one doctor who used to see people with HIV/AIDS in Butte had to close up shop. There just wasn’t the funding to keep his practice going. I thought about how much I hate to trek up to the grocery story for chicken noodle soup when I have a cold, and here this guy had to drive for hours and hours.

It made me wonder- is the same thing happening here in Washington State? We have certainly heard from HIV/AIDS providers in this state talk about the decrease in funds and how that is affecting their clients. They turn to Pride Foundation to fund the “non-essentials”, like cleaning supplies, extra protein, and heating assistance. I don’t really see how these things are non-essential, they feel pretty critical to me. We do what we can to fund these organizations, but continued government funding is crucial to meeting the needs of people with HIV/AIDS.

The second half of our friend in Butte’s story gave me some hope. He talked about how when he got to Missoula there were people there to greet him, people he had never met before. Turns out a friend in Butte called a friend in Missoula. A network was quickly formed and, even hundreds of miles from home, support was there. The story reminded me of the power of people, people who are compassionate and committed, who don’t let the odds get in the way of what needs to be done.

That is why AIDS Awareness and Action Day is so powerful. We hear all the bad news coming out of Olympia, the budget cuts and the people who will be left without support. But we can’t let this stop us from speaking up and making it clear that people with HIV/AIDS need continued support. We need to do it for the people all over our State, because when they show up in need, someone has to be there to greet them.

About Zan

Zan McColloch-Lussier is the Director of Communications for Pride Foundation, a community foundation dedicated to supporting the Northwest’s LGBTQ community. Find out about our funding at PrideFoundation.org. 

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GET UP, STAND UP: STAND UP!

Get up, stand up! (jah, jah!)

Stand up for your rights! (oh-hoo!)

Get up, stand up! (get up, stand up!)

Don’t give up the fight! (LIFE IS YOUR RIGHT!)

Get up, stand up! (SO WE CAN’T GIVE UP THE FIGHT!)

Stand up for your rights! (lord, lord!)

Get up, stand up! (keep on struggling on!)

Don’t give up the fight! (yeah!)

A great Bob Marley song known around the globe, its message is one that we have to take to heart this year. With a budget deficit that is growing daily and the Governor and Legislators calling for major cuts - $7 MILLION in HIV/AIDS services in the 2009-2011 biennium budget – we have to get up, stand up for what is right!

As someone who has worked in government affairs, public relations, and politics for over 20 years I know first hand that you cannot sit on the sidelines and expect to make an impact. For that reason, I recently became the Co-Chair of the Public Policy Committee for Lifelong AIDS Alliance, as well as joined their Board of Directors. We have to get in the fight.

Postcards, emails, letters and phone calls to elected officials are all important (we will need your help with those later in the process), but in this critical situation that HIV/AIDS funding is in the midst of, we must make the biggest impact possible. That means you traveling to Olympia, looking your legislators in the eye and in your own words ask them not to cut HIV/AIDS funding.

It is that simple – we have to go to Olympia and stand up for our rights!

REGISTER TODAY and register 3 friends to join us at the Capitol.

Steve Gibbs is Co-Chair of Lifelong AIDS Alliance's Public Policy Commitee and a newly elected Board member there as well.

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Dr. Rob Killian on AIDS Services budget cuts

Washington State's Budget Crisis means disaster for AIDS Prevention and treatment

Everywhere one turns these days there is crisis, financial troubles, friends and neighbors having lost their jobs or living under the threat of job loss. As an HIV doctor working daily with groups at the greatest risk of contracting or living with this chronic deadly illness these financial woes seem especially frightening.

I have seen some of the proposed budget cuts that are being tendered to AIDS services, insurance programs and prevention efforts that will turn Washington from being a proactive state working on prevention and making sure no one lives without care and access to health care to a state where there are waiting lists, loss of support and access to adequate health care will be more difficult.

This also at a time when HIV infection rates continue unabated and more and more need is forecast for health care.

From my office on First Hill looking out at the landscape of what is pending, I feel a crisis brewing that could lead to more disease, more death, less access to health care and the loss of many of our valuable prevention efforts and support programs.

From Insurance expansion and access to medications; from efforts at peer education and preventative approaches; to feeding and housing the weakest among us, I would beg that budgets cuts for these vital programs be maintained at the very least current levels and not cut.

We are in a crisis that remains unabated. Help!!!

-Rob Killian, MD/MPH

Dr. Killian is a founding partner in Capitol Hill Medical, is double board certified as an HIV specialist and Primary care physician in Seattle, WA. You can read more from him on his blog at: http://adoctortravels.blogspot.com/.


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A3D orientation session materials

AIDS Awareness & Action Day
Wednesday, February 18
Olympia, WA

7:00 a.m.– 9:15 a.m. Bus transportation
All "CHINOOK" company buses will have an "A3D" sign posted in the front wind shield.

Departures:

7 a.m. Everett Station 3201 Smith Ave - 1 bus

7:30 a.m. Seattle: Lifelong AIDS Alliance, Client Services Building, 1002 E Seneca, Seattle 98122

Please check-in before boarding the bus in the Seneca Conference Room on the lower level of the building, entrance through the parking lot. 3 buses will leave from this location.

8:00 a.m. Tacoma Mall, Krispy Kreme, 4302 Tacoma Mall Blvd, Tacoma, WA 98409 .

The Everett bus will pick up the Tacoma group on its way to Olympia.














8:45 a.m. Registration Begins at United Churches in Olympia

9:30 a.m. Morning program
Location: United Churches 110 11th Ave SE, Olympia, WA 98501, or 11th & Capitol Way.













11:00 a.m. Lunch boxes distribution

11:20 a.m. Group march to the Capitol

11:45 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Meet with your State Legislators!

3:00 p.m. Closing Ceremony
Legislative Building: State Reception Room
http://www.ga.wa.gov/visitor/capitoltour/reception.htm





















3:45 p.m. Buses board to leave Olympia
Winged Victory Monument
http://www.ga.wa.gov/visitor/capitoltour/WingedVictory.html

For a map of the entire legislative campus, please visit:
http://www.ga.wa.gov/images/campus-map.pdf

What’s at stake this year?

2009 is a critical year for HIV/AIDS advocates. Washington State Legislature, faced with a $7 billion budget deficit, is proposing to cut HIV/AIDS care and prevention services by $7M. It’s up to us to make sure our elected officials understand the impacts these cuts will have on our community!

1. HIV/ADS Care Services (EIP) – 13.2% cut = $3M
2. Nutrition Services in Pierce, Snohomish, Kitsap Counties, 200+ PLWHA at risk of losing weekly food deliveries – eliminated = $0.5M cut
3. Prevention Programs – 10% cut = $1.5M
4. Bailey Boushay Adult Day Health program = $1.1M cut
5. Nursing home services for Medicaid patients: Rosehedge, Bailey Boushay = a loss of $60,000 - $290,000 per year

Total cuts: $7,000,000


How to prepare for the visit with your legislator?

1. Know your legislator:

Personal
Hobbies, Family
Hometown, Background

Political
Partisan Affiliation
Demographics of District
Legislative Interests

Go to http://www.leg.wa.gov/ for State Elected Official, or google for latest news about the legislator. To find out who your legislators are, call the legislative hotline at 1.800.562.6000.

2. Know the Issue:

Statewide, HIV rates have been stable in recent years. From 2002 to 2006, the annual number of new HIV diagnoses ranged from 566 to 586, producing an average annual rate of 9.3 new cases per 100,000 Washington residents.

By Exposure: Between 2002-2006, 76% of new HIV diagnoses among males were associated with male-to-male sexual contact (either MSM (Men who have Sex with Men) or MSM/IDU (Intervenous Drug Users). Nearly half (48%) of new HIV diagnoses among females were attributed to high-risk heterosexual contact. Two new cases were determined to be the result of prenatal HIV exposure that occurred within Washington State.

By Sex: Eighty-five percent of all HIV cases diagnosed between 2002 and 2006 were male. The distribution of new diagnoses between males and females has remained stable in recent years.

By Race and Ethnicity: During 2002-2006, 63% of all new HIV diagnoses were white, non-Hispanic. Non-Hispanic Blacks (4% of the general population) accounted for 15% and 37% of all male and female cases, respectively.

By Age: Seventy-six percent of 2002-2006 new HIV diagnoses occurred among adults ages 30 and older. The proportion of cases being newly diagnosed at ages 40 and older has increased in recent years.

New HIV diagnoses under age 25 are increasing statewide with a sharp rate increase outside of King County

For HIV/AIDS in Washington fact sheets, visit: http://www.doh.wa.gov/cfh/HIV_AIDS/Prev_Edu/factsheets.htm

3. Know the Issue: What's At Stake (see above)

4. During the Meeting

Be on Time
Introduce Yourself
Explain the problem
Make the case for restoring funding
Support it with data – share fact sheet
Include real-life stories
Be specific about what is needed - State Desired Vote or Action
Be Friendly and Civil
It’s OK to Say: “I Don’t Know, but I will get back to you on that one”
Restate Desired Vote or Action
Encourage Action — Get a Commitment
Leave packet
After the Meeting
Send a Thank You Note
Send Any Follow-Up Info
Don't forget the L.A.s!

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What time does AIDS Awareness & Action Day end?
A: It depends on the time of your final legislative visit. Expect to be done by 4pm


Q: Where does the day begin?
A: See event flier – back page lists address of the church we’ll be meting at. No parking in the church parking lot. Plenty of affordable (quarters only) parking available within 2 blocks.


Q: I’m driving down. Where do I park and how do I get to the church?
A: Driving to Olympia:

Take exit 105 from I-5 North,
or exit 105A from I-5 South,
follow signs to the Capitol.

For more info about parking and visiting the Legislature, go to: www.leg.wa.gov/WorkingwithLeg

Q: Do I need to schedule meetings?
A: In most cases we will have scheduled three meetings for you: with your Senator and your two Representatives. You will receive this schedule at registration in Olympia. The meetings will usually be only 15 minutes long – a test in the art of brevity!


Q: What should I wear?
A: A suit is not required, but many people in the past have opted for this look. Dressing nicely is important, so please wear at least business-casual attire. Avoid blue jeans and t-shirts. Do wear comfortable shoes as quite a bit of walking is involved. Please bring an umbrella in case it rains. Remember that you will need to incorporate a t-shirt into your outfit.














Check out how these participants incorporated their A3D t-shirts into their outfits.

Q: What else can I do to prepare for February 18?
A: The more you know, the better an advocate you will be. You can learn a bit about your legislators online at http://www.leg.wa.gov/. Follow the links to both the Senate and House of Representatives and find out more about them. If you are a person living with HIV, you can think about how you might briefly tell your senator or representative how state funding (EIP, EHIP, ADAP, etc.) helps you and what would happen to you if these funds were no longer available. If you’re the friend or family member of someone who lives with HIV, talk to them and ask them about this. If you believe that HIV prevention helps keeps you or your loved ones HIV-negative, think about how you would tell a legislator how state Omnibus funds pay for HIV prevention and education efforts in your area that you think are effective and important.

Q: What else can I do?
A: If you haven’t already, please sign up to receive alerts that generate, with a few clicks of the mouse, email messages to your elected officials. Type http://www.cannetwork.net/ and away you go. Simple and fast!Ask your friends who can’t attend AIDS Awareness & Action Day in Olympia on February 18 to call their legislators on that day to tell them how much they care about ensuring that AIDS care and prevention efforts are funded at the highest possible level. You can give them the phone numbers as you do your research as described above.

From the desk of Representative Marko Liias

“In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.” --President Barack Obama

Across the country, and throughout our state, this winter of hardship is bringing heart ache and challenges to our communities. We face an economy in trouble, while citizens that are dependent on vital public services like HIV/AIDS treatment face an uncertain future. But we have hope! As President Obama reminds us, we must brave these difficult days ahead and stand up for one another.

One important way for everyone to make their voice heard is by participating in the AIDS Awareness and Action Day in Olympia on February 18th. This important event will connect everyday citizens with the elected officials who represent you. As a representative, I depend on my constituents to tell me what is important for our community.

In the final analysis, our children and grandchildren will look back at us in decades to come, and they will measure our response to these trying times. I am confident that they will see our courage and our determination, and they will see that we carried that bright torch of freedom safely to the next generation.

Representative Marko Liias

You can find Representative Liias on facebook by clicking here, or you can visit his official legisaltive website: http://www1.leg.wa.gov/house/Liias

Better yet, join us in Olympia on February 18th and you will get to meet him in person during our morning plenary!

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Exciting updates from our dedicated volunteers: Bonnie & Jonah!

Hello everyone!

As AIDS Awareness & Action Day approaches in just 14 short days, I am happy to announce that we currently have 321 advocates registered from 42 legislative districts!

THANK YOU not only for registering to join us in Olympia on February 18th, but for sharing the news about this important event in your communities. This day would not be possible without the enthusiasm and support of our allies throughout the state.

I'm looking forward to having you join us in Olympia on February 18th!

Bonnie Lenneman

Bonnie is serving as Lifelong AIDS Alliance's Advocacy Coordinator as a member of the Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest


Last semester I had taken a course on the AIDS Pandemic at Bennington College in Bennington, Vermont, and part of the requirement for the course was to do an internship related to AIDS during the winter “Field Work Term.” I found it difficult to search the web and databases for an organization that I might intern at. “What do I even know how to do to help?” I thought. I was sensitive to the fact that learning about AIDS from a textbook and classroom point of view had given me only a limited view of that which is such a heavy reality in this world and I was worried that I might commit to a job that required a deeper sensitivity to the reality of AIDS then I was equipped for. “I might end up doing more harm than good if I try to champion a cause that I don’t have a clear real life understanding of,” I thought.

Working in the Advocacy department here at Lifelong AIDS Alliance, I have found an in-between. I believe that what I have ended up doing is simply defined, effective, and necessary: I’m facilitating people living with AIDS and people who deeply care about AIDS help themselves. By setting up meetings with legislators I believe that I am helping to my utmost of my ability, while remaining honest to the experience that I have, because I know that the time that I give is only going to benefit the advocates who, on February 18th, are advocating the cause of over 15,000 people who are estimated to be effected by HIV/AIDS in Washington State. That is a ripple effect that I am proud to be able to help facilitate.

With that I will turn to the numbers: so far we have people planning to attend from 42 districts of Washington. That means a total of 126 meetings need to be set up. Right now we have 86 positive and definite time slots reserved with 13 pending a call-back. Regrettably, so far 18 legislators have no free time that day but we will be vigilant! The plan is to try to catch them at a moment when, in one of their committees, they have the opportunity to step out for a couple minutes to talk with us. So with the day less than two weeks away I am closing in on the final 9 meetings that must still be organized.

I was lucky to find myself in the position that I am in now. It was perfectly well timed because the day I have to be back in Vermont is four days after AIDS Awareness and Action Day. When William Borden asked the other offices of Lifelong if they needed an intern between January 5th and February 22nd, Ania, the Advocacy Czarina, was quick to note that, yes, it would be a perfect fit. When I write my reflective essay for the school’s internship office, I imagine that I will be one of the few who gets to see their internship project through until its finality. So I hope we make an impact in Olympia just 16 days from now and I hope everyone who attends is heard with the utmost clarity and concern. And then, I am sure, I will be able to also reflect on my being able to help make possible something that was great.

Take care everyone.

Sincerely,

Jonah Lipsky


Jonah Lipsky is an Advocacy Intern at Lifelong AIDS Alliance. He is playing a large role in A3D preparations scheduling meetings with district legislators for February 18th, 2009.


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What Did You Do To Fight AIDS Today?

From the desk of the Executive Director of United Communities AIDS Network in Olympia:

On Wednesday, February 18th the Governor, legislators, civil servants and the media in Olympia are going to see that question on the back of hundreds of red t-shirts. It is our hope at United Communities AIDS Network (UCAN) that you will be able to answer that question the evening of February 18th by saying…

I attended AIDS Awareness & Action Day (A3D) at the State Capitol and made it clear to my legislators that a cut – any cut - in HIV/AIDS funding for critical education, prevention and care services is unacceptable!

We at UCAN will be able to make that statement in addition to the many other things we do on a daily basis. Those other things include:
· Case Management Program works one-on-one with people living with HIV/AIDS to ensure access to primary medical care and social services in order to empower people to become self-sufficient.

· Client Centered Advocacy with one-on-one meetings to support clients in determining what services they may need. Clients receive individual counseling from the Client Services Manager about services available to meet the legal, financial, medical and housing needs of people living with HIV/AIDS.

· Prevention With Positives provides one-on-one support to develop an individual service plan in maintaining health and safety.

· Drop-in Center offers a warm and safe place for clients to rest, eat light meals, watch videos, make telephone calls, network with other clients and access the Internet and read published information about HIV/AIDS.

We at UCAN and the other partner and community organizations are doing our part daily to fight HIV/AIDS and we need your help! Answer the question – What Did You Do To Fight AIDS Today? – by registering TODAY to join us at A3D in Olympia on Wednesday, February 18th!

We will see you there in your red t-shirt.

Susan I. Schalwick RN,CHES
Executive Director, UCAN
http://www.ucan-wa.org/

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