August 31, 2006
Vol. 12. No. 22
In This Issue:
Walk Your Talk: Vote in the Primary on Tuesday, September 12
The 2006 Primary is less than two weeks away. The primary is a preliminary election in which voters elect candidates who then advance to the general election. This year the primary election is on Tuesday, September 12. Minnesota’s three major political parties will hold primary elections.
Take Action: Vote in the Primary on Tuesday, September 12!
Minnesota Update: Watch 5th District Congressional Race Debate—Two Options
Minnesota’s 5th Congressional district is a hotbed of political activity this year. After holding the 5th district seat for years, Rep. Martin Sabo is stepping down. Find out about the candidates by watching or attending a candidate forum next week. Click here to read about the candidates.
Tuesday, September 5
5th District—DFL
Channel 45
8:00 p.m.
Minnesota League of Women Voters
Wednesday, September 6
5th District—DFL
1815 Central Avenue NE
6 to 8:00 p.m.
Minneapolis Highrise Representative Council
The DFL is the only party that has a contested race in the 5th District.
Click here for candidate questions related to HIV
2006 Election Tip of the Week: What Do You Need to Register to Vote on the Day of the Election?
You can register at your polling place on Election Day. In order to register the day of the election, you will need to bring a Minnesota I.D. with your current address on it or a utility bill in your name with your current address. Cell phone bills are considered a utility bill.
Click here for a complete list of documents that can be used to register at the polls.
Announcement: MAP Announces Two Public Policy Internships for the Fall
The Minnesota AIDS Project Public Policy department announces two fall internships. Use the links below to read more about the two internship opportunities.
Minnesota Teens for AIDS Prevention (MN-TAP) Fall Internship
In the News: MDH Asks Communities to be Alert to Increased HIV Infections Among Gay Men
New HIV infections among men who have sex with men increased by 21 percent in 2005. In letter released in August to the health community, Peter Carr, Interim Section Manager of MDH's STD and HIV Section noted:
"We are monitoring a substantial increase (51 percent) in male HIV cases reported to us during the first six months of 2006 compared to the same time period in 2005. While this does not necessarily signal a change in trends, given the size of the increase we wanted to bring this to your attention. For male HIV cases, there are increases from a wide range of reporting sites, across all racial/ethnic groups (except African-born cases where the numbers have actually decreased), and across almost all age groups. The increases are greatest among men who have sex with men (MSM), especially among young MSM (131 percent) and among Latino men (90 percent). These increases may be due to a combination of increased outreach and screening efforts in the community, along with a real increase in HIV. The increase does not appear to be the result of natural variations in HIV case reporting." The message was issued to encourage health care providers to be more attentive to HIV and STD screening for patients who may be at risk, and to encourage health educators to intensify education about reducing risks associated with sexual practices and substance abuse, and to promote awareness about HIV and STD screening options. Resource information is available through MDH and the MAP AIDSLine [612-373-2437].
In the News: CDC Poised to Issue Routine HIV Screening Guidelines
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to announce new HIV testing guidelines September 22. The guidelines are expected to call for routine offering of HIV testing in all medical settings. Based upon review of the CDC’s preliminary guidelines, MAP has strong concerns about the direction the CDC is taking. While we support increasing public awareness and access to HIV testing, we believe that in the haste to issue the new guidelines, the CDC is promoting a dramatic change in HIV testing without appropriately addressing rights for informed consent, assurances that people will get education and counseling that is critical to preventing risk and taking advantage of care, and assurances that those who test positive will be linked to care. Many HIV professionals and advocates believe that the gaps in the CDC's work on the new guidelines will result in the routine offering of HIV tests becoming, in effect, routine testing that is only nominally voluntary. MAP is considering introduction of legislation in Minnesota to address the problems the new CDC testing guidance may create and to provide more specific direction for expanding access to quality HIV testing services in Minnesota. Read more and let us know what you think.
In The News: Review of XVI International AIDS Conference
Health care professionals, government representatives, health educators, and interested members of the HIV community came together from around the world to Toronto, Canada, for the International AIDS Conference, the theme of which was Time to Deliver.
Conference topics included:
Attendees found the conference worthwhile, with some re-hashing of old topics, while they simultaneously got a glimpse of newer themes that will be discussed in the months ahead.
Read More.
In The News: Primetime-“Out of Control: AIDS in Black America”
On Thursday, August 24, ABC featured a special edition of Primetime, which addressed the HIV crisis in Black America.
“Black Americans make up 13 percent of the U.S. population but account for over 50 percent of all new cases of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. That infection rate is eight times the rate of whites. Among women, the numbers are even more shocking—- almost 70 percent of all newly diagnosed HIV-positive women in the United States are black women. Black women are 23 times more likely to be diagnosed with AIDS than white women, with heterosexual contact being the overwhelming method of infection in black America.”
Text for this announcement has been taken directly from the Primetime Web site
View footage and read transcripts from Primetime’s coverage of “Out of Control: AIDS in Black America”
Visit the MAP Advocate archive to see what you missed.
For more information about what's of interest to you at the Minnesota State Capitol, visit the Web sites of our allies at OutFront Minnesota and Sex Ed for Life.
MAP Advocate is published by the Minnesota AIDS Project every two weeks while the Minnesota Legislature is in session, and monthly during the rest of the year. It isavailable through the MAP web site mnaidsproject.org and through email list service. If you wish to order the MAP Advocate, visit our Join the Action Network page, or contact MAP Public Policy by phone or email.
MAP Public Policy
Minnesota AIDS Project
1400 Park Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404
612-341-2060
800-373-2437
public.policy@mnaidsproject.org
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Friday, March 30, 2007
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