Our Issues
Our community needs passionate advocates who can stand up for the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS. That's why SAN's Client Advocate in partnership with the Spokane HIV Advocacy Group and Lifelong AIDS Alliance's advocacy team works strenuously throughout the year to monitor all state and federal policies and legislation. Below are some of our top priorities:
Effective HIV Prevention
We support:
*Development of a U.S. national AIDS strategy
• Evidence-based, best practices models for HIV prevention programs
• Comprehensive and medically accurate sexuality education
• Legislation that expands access to substance abuse treatment services, especially methadone treatment.
*Repeal of the federal ban on syringe exchange
We oppose:
• Efforts to weaken factually-based HIV/AIDS curricula in public schools and replace them with abstinence-only education. Research has shown that abstinence-only education is not effective.
• Substance abuse treatment enrollment caps
Client-Centered Care Services
We support:
• Affordable, portable and comprehensive insurance access, including prescription drug coverage benefits
• Medicare modernization that takes into account the flexibility needed in prescribing treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS
• Retention of housing programs that support people living with HIV/AIDS
• An effort to ensure treatment is available to HIV-positive people, regardless of ability to pay
*Passage of the Early Treatment for HIV Act (ETHA) H.R.1616
We oppose:
• Legislation that limits or denies public assistance to groups or individuals at risk for, or living with, HIV, including immigrants and undocumented aliens
Adequate Funding
We support:
• Reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE Act with provisions for mandatory funding increases based on growing need for care and support services.
• Increased funding for federal HIV/AIDS prevention
• State and local efforts to provide comprehensive housing resources for individuals and families affected by HIV/AIDS
• Increased funding for substance abuse treatment services and HIV prevention funding that targets alcohol and substance abuse programs and mental health services
We oppose:
• Shifting funds from domestic HIV/AIDS prevention and care programs to fund international programs
• Efforts to increase funding for abstinence-only sexuality education
Access to Testing
We support:
• Free or low-cost HIV testing that is accurate and coupled with counseling and resources to be made available to all people who wish to be tested
*Making voluntary HIV testing a routine aspect of medical diagnostic visits
Privacy and Confidentiality
We support:
• Continued access to anonymous HIV testing throughout Washington State
• Collaborative partner notification efforts that respect an individual's right to choose whether to seek assistance from health officials when notifying partners of potential exposure
We oppose:
• Legislation that would initiate mandatory testing of any group at risk, or perceived to be at risk, for HIV
• Legislation to require mandatory disclosure of HIV status
• Efforts to weaken the privacy protections of the state's HIV reporting regulations
Civil Rights
We support:
• Equal rights for all of Washington's citizens, regardless of HIV status, sexual orientation and gender identity and expression
We oppose:
• Efforts to amend the State Constitution that would institute discrimination
International Prevention & Treatment
We support:
• Increased funding levels for international HIV/AIDS programs and initiatives
• Drug-pricing initiatives that ensure widespread access to life-saving therapies for patients
• Legislation to encourage private sector involvement in vaccine research
We oppose:
• A ban on immigration of HIV-positive individuals into the U.S.
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