Erie Family Health Center

On July 13, the Obama Administration engaged in yet another historic event – one that is on par with health care and financial reform: President Obama released his National HIV/AIDS Strategy – the first formal strategy employed by the United States since the disease was first identified thirty years ago. Emphasizing the need for a renewed commitment to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the President’s Strategy focuses on three goals: 1) reduce the number of people who become infected with HIV; 2) increase access to care and improve health outcomes for those living with HIV; and 3) reduce HIV-related health disparities.

HIV/AIDS advocates around the country have applauded the release of this historical strategy. While there is some disagreement over the viability of some of the objectives, nearly all advocates agree that this is a momentous occasion in the fight to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic in America. The Director of Erie’s HIV/AIDS program, Lending Hands for Life, Dr. Rachel O’Mara recently shared her thoughts on the strategy with me. “It is excellent that the strategy has brought the HIV/AIDS epidemic to the forefront of our national dialogue. Often we think of HIV as a problem of the 1980’s but the fact is that it is still very much with us. Having a formal document from the President helps to bring the epidemic back home.” Dr. O’Mara expands on her thought adding, “While we have become very good at treating the disease, we still have work do to on preventing the spread and this document attempts to address that.”

One of the more interesting points about the National HIV/AIDS Strategy is that it doesn’t actually call for additional funding to achieve these goals but rather employs more targeted action. Much of the success of the strategy depends on targeting at-risk populations, including gay/bisexual men, African Americans, Latinos and injection drug users. By increasing testing and care and reducing health disparities for these target populations, the Obama Administration believes that transmission rates can be decreased and the health status for those living with HIV/AIDS will improve.

The strategy also recommends that community-focused efforts are a viable option for achieving the goals outlined. For community health centers that provide care to these at-risk populations, work is already being done to achieve some of these goals. For example, one key component to this strategy is if more people know their HIV status then precautions can be taken so that the disease does not spread. At Erie, we agree with that! As such, Erie recently implemented a universal HIV testing program (including rapid HIV testing) at our Humboldt Park location. Through this program, HIV tests are offered during routine medical exams. In the coming years, Erie hopes to expand this program to our other sites. This will help to ensure that more people know their status. Additionally, if a patient does test positive, Erie is able to immediately connect them to care through our Lending Hands for Life program. Linking to care within three months of diagnosis is a key component in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy.

Erie is and will continue to take steps to achieve many of the goals outlined in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy. We will do our part to help prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and provide access to the care needed to live a long and healthy life. Nothing captures our sentiments better, though, than the vision for the National HIV/AIDS Strategy:

The United States will become a place where new HIV infections are rare and when they do occur, every person, regardless of age, gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity or socio-economic circumstance, will have unfettered access to high quality, life-extending care, free from stigma and discrimination.