ADAP Washington visit Feb. 23-25; scholarship deadline January 16.

As AIDS Treatment News went to press we received the following notice from Save ADAP, of the AIDS Treatment Activist Coalition, about an effort to prevent thousands of Americans from being denied HIV treatment solely due to lack of funding. Because a scholarship deadline is next week, we included the information here.

"Save ADAP members from around the country will be visiting our nation's policy makers on February 23-25, 2004 in Washington D.C. to ask Congress for an Emergency Supplemental funding for the crumbling AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). We are inviting other people living with HIV/A1DS and service providers to join us. Save ADAP is providing 50 full scholarships for people who cannot afford to pay for the trip themselves. Priority will be given to ADAP clients, people on ADAP waiting lists, women, people of color, PWA/HIVs, and frontline service providers living in one of the following ADAP crisis states (Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming.)

"The scholarship will cover round-trip travel, hotel, and a perdiem for the entire trip. There will be a half-day orientation on Feb. 23rd, followed by visits to both of your U.S. Senators and your House Representative on the two remaining days.

Deadline for applications is Friday, January 16, 2004. Please send the following information to [e-mail] or fax it to 212-260-8869. For questions, please contact Lei Chou at the AIDS Treatment Data Network 212-260-8868 x.21

Name:

Address:

Phone:

e-mail:

Race/Gender:

ADAP client? Y/N 

On an ADAP Waiting list? Y/N

HIV Service Provider? Y/N

If yes, what is your job?

Do you need a Scholarship? Y/N

Background:

"In 2003, ADAP served over 90,000 Americans living with HIV disease. This important program has been under funded for the last four years. Congress appropriated a $35 million increase for fiscal year 2004, but this amount falls far short of the $215 million needed to keep pace with the growing demand. This is a critical turning point for the program, starting a new fiscal year with a $180 million budget shortfall, the largest ever, representing roughly 1/5 of the entire budget. As we are nearing the end of the current ADAP fiscal year (3/31/2004), there are already over 700 people on waiting lists across ten states, with another six implementing program cut backs and access restrictions. To ensure current ADAP clients coverage, close to half of the ADAPs around the country will be starting their new fiscal year with their doors closed to new clients.

"In order to prevent the further collapse of ADAP, we are asking Congress and the Administration to provide an Emergency Supplemental funding of $180 million dollars for ADAP for the up coming fiscal year. To this end, Save ADAP is conducting a national grassroots campaign to take the message to our representatives in Washington D.C. Save ADAP members from around the country will be visiting Congressional offices on February 24th and 25th to educate the law makers on the importance of ADAP, and to warn against the dire consequences of underfunding this program. Please join us in this effort to Save ADAP. Please contact Lei Chou at [e-mail] or 212-20-8868 x21 if you want to participate in this event."

For more information about Save ADAP, see: http://www.atac-usa.org/adap.html