As part of its Barrier-Free Health Care Initiative, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has reached three settlements addressing HIV discrimination by medical providers over the past three weeks. Each of the settlements was reached under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities—including persons with HIV disease—in public…
Justice Department Settles Three HIV Discrimination Cases
February 14, 2013 • 0 comments • By David W. Knight, J.D., Trial Attorney, Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division, U.S. Department of Justice
White House Hosts Series of Meetings on the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and the Affordable Care Act
The White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) is hosting a series of regional meetings on the implementation of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS). The purpose of these meetings is to better understand local- and state-level efforts as they relate to the implementation of the NHAS and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The goal…
Highlights of HHS Activities Addressing HIV/AIDS in the African American Community
February 6, 2013 • 3 comments • By Ronald Valdiserri, M.D., M.P.H., Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Infectious Diseases, and Director, Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
As noted in other blog posts shared here this week, African Americans continue to experience the most severe burden of HIV, compared with other races and ethnicities in the United States. According to the most recent data from CDC, Blacks represent approximately 14% of the U.S. population, but accounted for an estimated 44% of new…
New Video Illustrates HIV Treatment Cascade
A new animated video provides a brief overview of HIV in the United States and illustrates how improvements along each step of the treatment cascade can help us achieve an AIDS-free generation. We are grateful to Gilead for sharing the video, which debuted last fall at the 2012 U.S. Conference on AIDS , the nation’s…
HHS Releases Inventory of Initiatives and Prevention Programs Aimed at Reducing HIV Infections among African Americans
January 16, 2013 • 0 comments • By Ronald Valdiserri, M.D., M.P.H., Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Infectious Diseases, and Director, Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) recently released a report [PDF] describing findings of an interagency collaboration to identify, review, and assess the effectiveness of HHS-funded, discretionary initiatives and programs to reduce HIV infections among African Americans. The report describes relevant prevention programs and initiatives, identifies future opportunities, and provides insights that will…
Family Planning Providers Key in Fight Against HIV
January 9, 2013 • 2 comments • By Vanessa A. White, MPH, Public Health Advisor, Office of Population Affairs, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
and Christine Brazell, MS, MPH, Public Health Advisor, Office of Population Affairs, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The Title X Family Planning Program, administered by the HHS Office of Population Affairs (OPA), provides funding to more than 4,000 service delivery sites across the country to support voluntary, confidential, and low-cost education, counseling, testing, and related preventive health services that allow individuals and couples to plan and space births. The family planning service…
Continuing to Move Forward on the National HIV/AIDS Strategy
January 2, 2013 • 0 comments • By Miguel Gomez, Director, AIDS.gov, and Senior Communications Advisor, Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious Disease Policy, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
As we enter a new year, I encourage you to listen to a conversation between Howard K. Koh, MD, MPH, Assistant Secretary for Health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Ronald O. Valdiserri, MD, MPH, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health, Infectious Diseases, and Director of the Office of HIV/AIDS and Infectious…
Storify: Curating Social Media for Worlds AIDS Day 2012
December 11, 2012 • 1 comment • By Aisha Moore, Communications Director, AIDS.gov
and Mindy Nichamin, AIDS.gov New Media Coordinator
On December 1, 2012, agencies across the U.S. Government joined together to observe World AIDS Day. To demonstrate the theme of “Working Together for an AIDS-Free Generation,” agencies used social media to share policy updates, release new data, promote HIV testing, and address HIV stigma. Social media moves fast, so you may have missed some…