Governor Pat Quinn

In 12 states across America, over 2,200 people are on waiting lists for HIV medications because the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) is deeply under-funded. 

On Tuesday, July 13, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sibelius will announce (finally!) that the Obama administration will partially solve this problem by providing $25 million in emergency funding to states for ADAP.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn announced today that state funding for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), which provides life-saving HIV medications to low-income people with HIV, will be sufficient to “serve approximately 4,500 clients a month – an increase of 400” program recipients.  In the last nine months, the program provided HIV/AIDS medications to an average of 4,165 Illinoisans per month and the number of new enrollees continues to climb. 

The announcement was made when the Governor signed into law a state budget that cuts overall spending by $1.4 billion. Quinn’s budget includes a $17 million funding reduction for the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), which supports critical HIV/AIDS and public health services.  No HIV programs were specifically listed for funding reductions.

In May, a state advisory panel recommended that Illinois institute a waiting list for ADAP because program costs are far outstripping available revenue.  A waiting list would create unacceptable health risks for low-income people with HIV, including unnecessary hospitalizations, sickness, disability, and even early death.   

(Updated 6/21/10)

Yes, we have a state budget.  Well, sort of.  Actually, it’s kinda complicated. 

Let’s break it down. 

The General Assembly passed on May 25 a state budget.  However, this budget is deeply flawed.  It doesn’t address the state’s nearly $6 billion in unpaid bills, relies too heavily on one-time revenue, and jeopardizes services for all Illinoisans.  Most importantly, legislators failed to pass new revenue, the only sustainable solution to the state’s budget problems.

Facing a grim state financial situation, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn Wednesday proposed a fiscal year 2011 state budget that underfunds HIV prevention and care services by nearly $22 million.  The budget plan relies on a mix of cuts to programs, borrowing, and federal funding.  Gov.

Governor Quinn released a preliminary budget outline on February 24 that highlights the consequences of the state budget disaster: $2 billion more in cuts to programs, a massive budget deficit, and $11 billion in unpaid bills. Taken together, the budget problems predict massive harm for vulnerable people, and particularly people with and at risk of HIV. 

But for the first time, you have the chance to publicly tell Governor Quinn what to include in his state budget proposal before it’s released next Wednesday, March 10. Visit budget.illinois.gov right now and ask for the following two things:

1. Tell Governor Quinn that people with and at risk of HIV need a responsible and balanced budget solution:

Tell Illinois Governor Pat Quinn to include $18 million in new HIV funding in his fiscal year 2011 state budget.  Your voice is needed now to restore funding for programs that are being cut today and avert even more devastating cuts next fiscal year. 

Sign the letter to Gov. Pat Quinn asking him to fully fund the HIV sector in his budget proposal!

This year, Illinois salvaged the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) by cutting funding from other vital HIV state programs. This tactic will accelerate the state’s long-term HIV/AIDS crisis by weakening prevention and care programs that help to curb the epidemic.  An $18 million budget increase will protect all essential services—including HIV prevention, care, housing and ADAP—from crushing budget reductions.

50 organizations across Illinois rally to restore Quinn’s cuts, protect funding for cost-saving community-based programs

Governor Quinn’s Budget Proposal Shaves Funding from HIV Services
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