NAACP - TALKING POINTS: The Ryan White CARE Act

TALKING POINTS: The Ryan White CARE Act

The Ryan White CARE Act is the core of this nation's AIDS care and treatment strategy in the United States – therefore, it is imperative that we ensure that the legislation reauthorizing the Ryan White CARE Act reflects the changing face of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in our nation today.
The Ryan White CARE Act is an invaluable source of coverage to those living with HIV/AIDS, specifically in the Black community. Today, over 50% of new HIV/AIDS infections are African Americans. At the end of 2002, more than 4 in 10 people living with AIDS in the United States were African American. Nearly half (46%) of those who received services under the Ryan White Act in 2002 were African American.

Ryan White CARE Act

Briefing Notes

We are calling on members of Congress to support the reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE Act with the following provisions to the reauthorization:

Problem proportional funding for existing and new Title III projects to provide high-quality, community-based primary care to low-income, underserved and underinsured populations living in rural and underserved areas;
Creation of an "Infrastructure and Capacity Expansion Program" to provide resources to assist community-based organizations in providing high-quality medical and supportive services to rural and urban communities serving underserved minority populations. Provision of these resources would build the organizational infrastructure and HIV service capacity in underserved communities;
Preservation and quadrupling of the Congressional Minority AIDS Initiative to address the development, implementation and provision of high quality care by indigenous, culturally competent organizations to underserved minority individuals living with HIV/AIDS.