MAP Bill Tracker
For more information, check the MAP Advocate, MAP Action Agenda, News and Views, and MAP Facts.
Secure New State Funding for
HIV Prevention Targeting Immigrants and Refugees
Summary,
Status, Action You Can Take
and Read More
Updated: February 9, 2004
Summary:
Twenty-one percent of the new HIV infections in Minnesota during 2002
were among African-born residents. Of those infections, over half were
among women. The global epidemic is very much in our very own backyard.
Yet, "no new taxes" governance resulted in reductions in state
spending for HIV prevention in 2002 at the very time when the epidemic
is expanding to affect yet another community vulnerable to health disparities.
The Minnesota Department of Health STD/HIV Health Education and Risk Reduction
team is trying to respond. They have taken a few extra dollars from the
annual grant they get from the feds to put into funding a handful of Minnesota
African community groups with grants of $10,000 or less to promote awareness
about the expanding HIV epidemic. But, this is hardly enough when a major
public awareness campaign targeting Minnesota's African communities is
all that will do.
Status: MAP is working with lawmakers in the Minnesota House and Senate to secure a one-time, $300,000 special appropriation during the 2004 legislative session. The funding would be used during 2004 and 2005 to support a major public awareness campaign targeting Minnesota's African communities. A consortium of community-based organizations would come together to implement a campaign intended to promote general knowledge and awareness about HIV and dispel misperceptions, encourage HIV testing, and link people living with HIV to HIV health care and prevention services. MAP is working toward having this bill introduced the week of February 16.
Update March 8, 2004:
Authors for the House bill are Rep. Karen Clark (DFL-Minneapolis), Rep.
Neva Walker (DFL-Minneapolis), Rep. Keith Ellison (DFL-Minneapolis), Rep.
Sheldon Johnson (DFL-St. Paul). Senate authors are Sen. Scott Dibble (DFL-Minneapolis),
Sen. Geoff Michel (R-Edina), Sen. Linda Higgins (DFL-Minneapolis), Sen.
Linda Berglin (DFL-Minneapolis). Bills will be formally introduced with
bill numbers assigned. Watch here for pending bill introduction.
1. Keep informed. Check the
current issue of the MAP Advocate
to find out what's happening. Read the MAP
Facts for basic facts and talking points.
2. Write a letter. Whenever you see another news story break about AIDS
in Africa, send a letter to
the editor, make a phone call to your TV station, or send an email
to a friend to remind them that the global epidemic is right here in our
own backyard.
3. Contact your legislators.
Send an email or make a phone call to your State Senator and State Representative
to let them know you would like to see increased funding for HIV prevention
in Minnesota so we can address the expanding epidemic affecting Minnesota's
African-born residents.
4. Contact Minnesota's Congressional
Delegation. Send an email or make a phone call to Senator Coleman,
Senator Dayton or Rep. McCollum thanking them for the work they have done
to engage the U.S. in the response to the AIDS epidemic in Africa, but
remind them to support funding for HIV prevention in the U.S., as well,
so we can respond to the expanding African epidemic right here in Minnesota.
SF2678
MAP Advocate
MAP Action Agenda
MAP Facts
MAP Facts: The Global Epidemic in Our Own
Back Yard
Pioneer Press article from
February 2003 regarding Coleman forum at MAP.
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Friday, March 30, 2007
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