2020 Vision: Our Updated National HIV/AIDS Strategy

 Posted by Valerie Jarrett on July 30, 2015. Reposted at http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com,

Today, the Obama Administration is releasing the National HIV/AIDS Strategy: Updated to 2020 (“Updated Strategy”). Since we released the nation’s first comprehensive HIV/AIDS strategy in 2010, we’ve made tremendous progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS. More people living with HIV know their status and are linked to care. We have better medications to treat the disease and better tools to prevent its transmission, like pre-exposure prophylaxis (“PrEP”) —a daily pill that can reduce a person’s risk of acquiring HIV by more than 90 percent when taken consistently.

Yet, despite this progress, there is still an HIV epidemic in the U.S. Not only has there been a recent HIV outbreak among injection drug users in Indiana, there has also been a national increase in the number of diagnoses of HIV infection among young gay and bisexual men. This disease is preventable and if a person is infected, there are ways to drastically minimize transmission to others. Too many people living with HIV are unaware of their status or are diagnosed late. Many people may not realize that while being HIV-positive may once have been a death sentence, they can now live long, healthy lives with HIV if they are diagnosed and treated.

There is a great discrepancy between the number of people who are diagnosed with HIV and those who are in care. Of the 1.2 million people living with HIV in the U.S., 87% (or about 1 million) of them know they have HIV, yet only 39% are engaged in care. This means that the majority of folks with HIV are not consistently getting the care they need to stay healthy and decrease their chances of transmitting HIV to others.

Groundbreaking research is unlocking new tools and methods to help keep people in care, prevent and treat the disease, and find a cure. A critical part of making the best use of current investments and maximizing impact is to focus attention and resources on persons living with HIV infection and those who are at greatest risk for acquisition. That’s why the Updated Strategy’s update calls for a focus on the right people, the right places, and the right practices…right now.

Our efforts under the Updated Strategy will prioritize the groups most affected by HIV: gay and bisexual men of all races/ethnicities (especially young Black gay and bisexual men), Black women and men, Latinos and Latinas, people who inject drugs, youth aged 13 to 24 years, and transgender women (particularly Black transgender women). We will also focus on the areas with the highest burden of disease, such as the Southern United States.

Learn about the five major changes to the strategy since 2010 here.
In 2015, we know what works, and to make a significant impact on the epidemic, the Updated Strategy calls for a focus on the following actions that will move us toward the 2020 goals:

• Widespread testing and linkage to care, enabling people living with HIV to access treatment early.
• Broad support (from housing and transportation to treatment adherence) for people living with HIV to remain engaged in comprehensive care.
• Universal viral suppression among people living with HIV.
• Full access to comprehensive pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) services for those whom it is appropriate and desired.

Obtaining health care coverage is an important step to keep ourselves and our families healthy. More than 16 million people have taken this step since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, contributing to the largest reduction in the nation's uninsured rate in four decades. But we only realize the full value of that coverage when we use it to access the types of preventive services that will keep us healthy. The ACA provides access to precisely those services. Thanks to the ACA, most private plans, Medicare, and Medicaid coverage offer HIV testing without requiring a co-pay or deductible. PrEP is also covered by many insurance programs. Promoting testing, linkage to and staying in care, having the support services to achieve viral suppression, and using PrEP, are all parts of how the Updated Strategy encourages Americans be their healthiest selves.

Still, too many people lack either the health insurance coverage or the financial resources to obtain treatment and care. The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program helps to fill that gap. It provides critical coverage completion services to nearly half of all Americans living with HIV and remains an essential part of our national response to HIV.

I encourage all Americans to take advantage of the preventive services available to them, get tested for HIV if they haven’t been, and consider using PrEP if they are at substantial risk of contracting the disease. With the release of our Updated Strategy, let’s all commit to double down on our efforts, and focus our HIV outreach on the right people, in the right places, with the right practices, right now. We’ve made great progress, but there’s more work to be done. The Updated Strategy will enable our nation to become a place where new HIV infections are rare, and where every affected person will have access to life-extending care, regardless of their circumstances, and live free from stigma and discrimination.

There's an overview of everything you need to know about the Update Strategy, at https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/07/30/2020-vision-our-updated-national-hivaids-strategy

HHS Sec. Sebelius on Affordable Healthcare Act

At the heart of this administration is a core belief in equality. This belief means ensuring that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans have the same protections and opportunities as their family members, neighbors, friends, and colleagues. Among the many areas where we are working to ensure that fairness for LGBT individuals is health care.  All Americans, no less LGBT individuals, deserve the right to accessible, affordable, quality health care. Observing LGBT Pride Month in June spotlights our commitment to addressing the special health needs of LGBT Americans and reducing health disparities for them and members of other vulnerable communities.


Studies have shown that health disparities related to sexual orientation and gender identity are due partly to lower rates of health coverage. LGBT individuals have encountered discrimination in the health care system for decades, and many studies have shown that they are affected by chronic disease at a higher rate than other Americans.


The Affordable Care Act has already made significant progress toward ending some of the worst insurance company abuses and toward helping ensure that LGBT Americans have access to coverage when they need it most. For example, the Affordable Care Act ends lifetime dollar limits on benefits, allowing for long-term comprehensive treatment of chronic diseases.  In addition, the federal website, HealthCare.gov, designed to help all consumers find the health insurance best suited to their needs, makes it easy to locate health insurers that cover domestic partners.


The Affordable Care Act will give all Americans, including LGBT Americans, improved access to health coverage through an expanded, stronger Medicaid program and new affordable Insurance Exchanges, marketplaces for quality, affordable health insurance. And as of last fall, insurers can no longer deny coverage to children because of pre-existing health conditions – a protection that will extend to every American in 2014.  Similarly, insurers will no longer be able to turn someone away just because he or she is lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender. Additionally under the new law, many Americans, including LGBT individuals, can now get vital preventive services, such as mammograms, HIV testing, and other cancer screenings, with no co-pay or deductible.


The Department of Health and Human Services continues to address the specific health concerns of LGBT Americans, by working to incorporate data collection on LGBT populations into national health surveys and issuing rules requiring hospitals to allow same-sex partners the ability to visit each other in the hospital.


Our efforts haven’t stopped with health care.  When confronted with the tragic suicides of LGBT teens around the country who had been bullied, this administration launched a historic effort to stop the bullying of LGBT children and youth in their homes, schools, and communities. We’ve also launched a new website called StopBullying.gov, a one-stop shop where kids, teens, parents, and educators can go online to learn about preventing and stopping bullying.


During Pride Month, we celebrate our accomplishments while focusing on the work still to be done. Our department is committed to improving the health and well-being of all Americans, including LGBT Americans, and we look forward to continuing this work during Pride Month and beyond.
 

For more information about how the Affordable Care Act is giving LGBT Americans more control over their health care, see factsheets and brochures.

Reprinted at http://www.keystothecloset.blogspot.com,

HHS Statement on LGBT Health and Affordable Care Act

Better Health and Well-BeingMaking Improvements for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Americans

President Obama has demonstrated that his vision for a brighter future includes greater equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans. The President and his Administration are dedicated to eliminating barriers to equality, fighting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, and engaging LGBT communities across the country.

As part of the Obama Administration’s commitment, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) continues to engage in a concerted effort to improve the health and well-being of all Americans, including LGBT Americans. Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has led these efforts to promote equal treatment of LGBT Americans, provide enhanced resources for LGBT health issues, and develop better information regarding LGBT health needs.

To ensure the consideration of LGBT concerns throughout HHS's activities, Secretary Sebelius established a committee of senior representatives from each division of HHS. This committee coordinates LGBT-related policies across the department and recommends future action that HHS can take to improve the health and well-being of LGBT communities.

These efforts stemmed from President Obama’s Memorandum on Hospital Visitation, which, in addition to addressing the rights of hospital patients to designate visitors regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, directed Secretary Sebelius to explore additional steps HHS could take to improve the lives of LGBT people and their families.

The Affordable Care Act
The Affordable Care Act is greatly improving access to health coverage for LGBT Americans. Studies have shown that health disparities related to sexual orientation and gender identity are due in part to lower rates of health coverage. The Affordable Care Act will give all Americans, including LGBT Americans, improved access to health coverage through an expanded, stronger Medicaid program and new Affordable Insurance Exchanges, marketplaces for quality, affordable health insurance. Moreover, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies will no longer be able to deny individuals coverage or charge them more based on pre-existing conditions – meaning that all Americans will have the security of knowing that they can access affordable, quality health coverage even if they lose their jobs, switch jobs, move, or become sick.

Other notable parts in the Affordable Care Act that will benefit LGBT Americans – like all Americans – are the provisions that permit individuals to remain on their parents’ health plans until age 26 and enhance the availability of preventive services for women in new health plans and seniors on Medicare.

As the Affordable Care Act is implemented, HHS has taken significant steps to help improve the health and well-being of LGBT Americans.

Equal Rights for LGBT Americans
In the past, many same-sex domestic partners were denied the ability to visit their loved ones in the hospital. At the direction of President Obama, HHS has taken action to ensure equal rights for LGBT Americans to visit their partners in the hospital. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued new rules in November 2010 for hospitals that participate in Medicare and Medicaid that require them to respect the right of all patients to choose who may visit them when they are hospitalized.

In September 2011, at the same time that CMS stepped up enforcement of hospital visitation rights, it also clarified that same-sex couples have the same rights as other couples in terms of naming a representative who can make medical decisions on a patient’s behalf. Existing rules protect the rights of hospital patients to have representatives who can act on their behalf. HHS has updated the guidance explaining these rules to make it easier for family members, including same-sex partners, to make informed care decisions for loved ones who have become incapacitated.

CMS has also issued guidance to states making clear that same-sex partners may be afforded treatment comparable to other spouses when it comes to receiving long-term care, such as care in a nursing home, under Medicaid. Federal law protects assets, such as a couple’s home, in the event that a married individual must receive nursing home care through Medicaid. In June 2011, CMS clarified that states have the flexibility to extend this protection to same-sex partners.

Secretary Sebelius has also strengthened internal policies at HHS to help ensure that LGBT individuals have equal access to HHS programs and employment opportunities. In April 2011 the Secretary issued a new policy explicitly requiring employees to serve all individuals eligible for HHS programs without regard to non-merit factors, including sexual orientation and gender identity. In addition, in March of 2011, the Secretary updated and clarified HHS’s equal employment policy – which already protected against unfair treatment based on a person’s sexual orientation – to also include gender identity and genetic information.

Stronger Resources to Improve LGBT Health and Well-Being
HHS has taken many steps to strengthen the health resources available to LGBT Americans over the first three years of the Obama Administration.

In 2010, HHS established the nation’s first national resource center for older LGBT individuals. This center, funded by the Administration on Aging (AoA), supports communities across the country as they aim to serve the estimated 1.5 to 4 million LGBT individuals who are 60 and older. The center provides information, assistance and resources for both aging services, LGBT organizations, and providers at the state and community level to assist them in the development and provision of culturally sensitive supports and services.

In July 2010, President Obama and Secretary Sebelius announced the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, a rigorous effort to increase access to care and lower the number of new HIV cases in the United States by 25 percent within the next five years. The strategy seeks to reduce HIV-related health disparities with a specific focus on high-risk populations, including certain LGBT populations.

In September 2010, HHS announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) allocated $30 million in new resources to support the National HIV/AIDS strategy. These funds, made available by the Affordable Care Act, are providing a boost to states and communities as they focus HIV prevention on high-risk populations. The funds are also helping fill critical gaps in data, knowledge, and understanding of the epidemic.

In September 2010, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced $42.6 million in new grants over a three-year period to provide behavioral health services in communities most impacted by HIV/AIDS. Funding for the “12 Cities” program will be used to develop and expand networks of primary care, HIV/AIDS and behavioral health service providers serving racial and ethnic minorities, including LGBT individuals, with or at high risk for HIV/AIDS.

In October 2010, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) announced a $13.3 million grant to the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center over five years to help address barriers to permanency and well-being for LGBT foster youth, who are disproportionately represented in the foster care population. This is one of the largest federal grants to an organization that primarily serves LGBT communities.

In March 2011, HHS launched a new website – www.StopBullying.gov – which contains a dedicated section for LGBT youth. The site includes specific resources and assistance for LGBT youth, including examples of community groups that offer support and options to seek counseling. Secretary Sebelius also taped an “It Gets Better” video to address LGBT youth who have been bullied and are at risk of depression and suicide.

In June 2011, ACF announced the creation of a resource center to support resettlement of LGBT refugees who have faced persecution and discrimination in their home countries. The new center will provide resources to resettlement workers who are helping refugees assimilate in America in key locations, and provide training to staff on issues and needs specific to LGBT refugees.

In September 2011, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) awarded $248,000 to create a National Training and Technical Assistance Center to help community health centers (CHCs) provide improved care for LGBT patients. The center will work in consultation with CHCs across the country – providing training for doctors, nurses, and other employees and developing health information resources specifically for LGBT patients. Additionally, SAMHSA is disseminating training curricula to help providers more effectively provide behavioral health services to LGBT Americans, in particular members of racial and ethnic minority populations.

Better Information on LGBT Health Needs
In June 2011, Secretary Sebelius announced HHS’ plans to greatly enhance the collection of health data on LGBT populations. Gathering data on LGBT individuals will help researchers, policy makers, health care providers, and advocates identify and address health disparities affecting the LGBT population.

Additionally, in March 2011, the Institute of Medicine (IOM) released a report commissioned by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on the state of research and science regarding the health needs of LGBT people. The report provides the scientific community with the first comprehensive overview of health-related research on LGBT health issues – an important step in identifying research gaps and opportunities. To address the IOM’s recommendations, NIH formed an internal committee to review the report and determine how NIH can strengthen LGBT health research, and include LGBT Americans in clinical studies.

In October 2011, HRSA released Women’s Health USA 2011, the tenth edition of an annual data book identifying priorities, trends and disparities in women’s health. For the first time, this report features data on the health of lesbian and bisexual women. Among other things, the report found that health disparities exist by sexual orientation. The full report is available at: http://www.mchb.hrsa.gov/whusa11/.

Every ten years, HHS develops national, science-based objectives for promoting health and preventing disease for the following decade. In 2010, as part of this initiative – “Healthy People 2020” – for the first time, a formal workgroup was established to examine scientific literature on LGBT health. The workgroup will propose objectives regarding LGBT health as part of this comprehensive initiative.


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Secretary Sebelius and the Department of Health and Human Services are committed to continuing these efforts, including by identifying ways to improve the health and well-being of LGBT Americans, and by coordinating the department’s activities around LGBT health.

More information on the department’s activities concerning LGBT health can be found at: http://www.hhs.gov/secretary/about/lgbthealth.html

Information on President Obama’s commitment to the LGBT community can be found at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/lgbt

Posted at http://www.hhs.gov/secretary/about/lgbthealth_update_2011.html
Reposted at http://www.keystothecloset.blogspot.com

Updates from Nat. Coalition for LGBT Health

Register Now for the 2011 National LGBTI Health Summit
We are just 60 days away from the 2011 National LGBTI Health Summit on July 16-19, 2011, in Bloomington, Indiana. Register now to take advantage of the low $150 registration cost, thanks to collaborations with Positive Link (a program of Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital), the City of Bloomington, and Indiana University. The conference offers CHES credits for public health professionals and a broad range of innovative workshops, plenaries, networking, organizing, and social activities to meld our "rainbow alphabet" together around our work in the field of LGBTI health. The 2011 National LGBTI Health Summit is dedicated to preserving and improving the emotional, physical, spiritual, mental, and social health and wellness of LGBTI people. The theme of this year’s summit is "At the Crossroads," which emphasizes the summit’s mission to reach members of LGBTI communities who are marginalized and experience health disparities unique to race/ethnicity, age, and disability; as well as disparities on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender. Register now!
http://www.nationallgbtihealthsummit.com/registration.html

New LGBT-Inclusive Regulations from Department of Housing and Urban Affairs
Stable and affordable housing is a major component of good health and wellbeing for everyone, including LGBT people. Among other benefits, stable housing can help reduce substance use, lower risk of HIV infection, and improve mental and physical health. Earlier this year, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) proposed regulations banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in its core federal housing programs. The Coalition strongly supports the new regulations and submitted comments recommending a broader and more inclusive definition of family and asking that the proposed ban on discrimination be extended to include perceived as well as actual sexual orientation and gender identity. We applaud HUD for its commitment to helping make stable and affordable housing accessible for LGBT people and their families.

New LGBT-Inclusive Regulations from Department of Labor
Like housing, regular employment and a workplace free of discrimination and harassment is a crucial factor in quality of life for LGBT people. Employment is particularly important for health because employer-based health insurance is a cornerstone of the US health system. Recognizing this, the Department of Labor joined the Department of Health and Human Services in revising its equal employment opportunity policy to include gender identity as well as sexual orientation. The Coalition welcomes the new policies and looks forward to continuing to work with agencies such as the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor, and Housing and Urban Affairs to create and implement policies that help LGBT people and their families lead safe and healthy lives.

LGBT Families Matter
Same-sex couples live in almost every county across the United States, and more than one million of these couples are raising children. These families need the same protections as any other family to ensure that parents and partners can fulfill their commitment to keeping each other and their children safe and healthy. Check out our new blog post at MomsRising Blog about what the Affordable Care Act means for LGBT people and their families. Then head over to the National Partnership for Women and Families to read more about how paid sick days standards help LGBT families.

http://www.momsrising.org/blog/changing-the-game-what-health-care-reform-means-for-gay-lesbian-bisexual-and-transgender-americans/

All of this and more can be found at http://lgbthealth.webolutionary.com/
reposted at keystothecloset.blogspot.com

National Coalition and Center for American Progress Release New Report, Changing the Game: What Health Care Reform Means for LGBT Americans

The National Coalition for LGBT Health and the Center for American Progress marked LGBT Health Awareness Week with the release of Changing the Game: What Health Care Reform Means for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Americans.

The report provides an overview of the health disparities experienced by LGBT people, followed by a brief discussion of several provisions of the Affordable Care Act that hold particular promise for improving the health and well-being of the LGBT community. The report continues into an investigation of four major areas where efforts by LGBT advocates and their allies in each state will be key to ensuring that the new health law delivers the largest possible positive results for the LGBT community when the law is fully implemented by 2014. These areas are achieving comprehensive nondiscrimination protections in health insurance exchanges, establishing LGBT-inclusive data collection policies, recognizing and including LGBT families in all health reform activities, and supporting community-based health interventions that are LGBT-inclusive.

Find out what’s happening in your state around health care reform and join the conversation! Go to http://lgbthealth.webolutionary.com/home

First posted in email from National Coalition for LGBT Health, reposted at http://keystothecloset.blogspot.com/

Info on Affordable Care Act and LGBTIQ Community