The AIDS Foundation of Chicago ( AFC ) regularly surveys candidates on HIV/AIDS-related policies and publishes the results to educate voters and the general public. This year, AFC mailed a request for candidate statements on HIV/AIDS to all 28 candidates running Nov. 2 for the offices of governor, attorney general, secretary of state, comptroller, treasurer, and United States senator. AFC also encouraged candidates to address how they would implement the National HIV/AIDS Strategy in Illinois, if elected.
Ten statewide candidates responded, and the responses of a couple of them are listed below. The rest of them are available at http://www.aidschicago.org/candidate.
U.S. Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias ( Democrat ) :
We must work together to develop and implement a national HIV/AIDS strategy to stop the spread of the disease and make sure that those who are infected receive the care and support they need.
Ending this devastating disease begins with preventing its spread. I believe we must develop and invest in a comprehensive prevention strategy that includes expanded testing, education about risky behaviors, creating syringe exchange programs and developing new drugs that can prevent a mother from transmitting a virus to her child. Through a comprehensive approach we can help curb the spread of this disease.
To help stop transmission and extend the lives of those living with the disease, we must make sure that every HIV-positive American gets the medical care they need. Congress should pass the Early Treatment for HIV Act, which expands Medicaid for HIV-positive people and invests in public health resources. Moreover, we must reduce the health disparities by combating HIV/AIDS in the communities where there is the greatest need. We must make a greater effort in communities that are hardest hit by offering testing and treatment to people who need it the most.
Globally, we must do more to expand treatment and prevention efforts. The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief is a strong step, but we must do more to make sure there are enough health workers and medical resources in the developing world to effectively combat the disease.
If I am fortunate enough to be elected to the U.S. Senate, I will work tirelessly on these domestic and international strategies to ensure we address the most pressing HIV/AIDS issues of our time.
Gubernatorial candidate Pat Quinn ( Democrat ) :
In these difficult economic times, it is critically important to address public health issues in a just, forthright, and effective way, and to make sure that those who are living with chronic illnesses, including HIV, are not overlooked or forgotten as we grapple with historic budget deficits. We
must remain vigilant to protect the people of Illinois from new threats to public health. Illinois must also take advantage of unprecedented opportunities to impact the AIDS epidemic, including implementation of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and national health reform.
The National HIV/AIDS Strategy is a historic document that gives the nation a roadmap to reduce new HIV infections, improve care for people with HIV, and reduce health disparities. Illinois can play a role in implementing the Strategy's recommendations by targeting state and federal dollars to populations at greatest risk and need, including gay men and men who have sex with men of all races, African Americans and Latinos, and women of color. We must examine every dollar of spending to ensure it yields the greatest outcome possible.
Implementation of national health care reform is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to improve the health of hundreds of thousands of uninsured Illinoisans, including people with chronic diseases such as HIV. Medicaid, the foundation of health reform, must remain strong program that provides an adequate benefit package for new enrollees, including tens of thousands with HIV.
Today, health insurance companies have an unfair advantage over consumers, and I'm committed giving the state's insurance commissioner the authority to reject unnecessary premium increases, enforce provisions of the new federal law, and implement decisions that level the playing field for businesses and consumers.
I'm proud of my record on HIV/AIDS issues. Highlights include:
—Quality of Life Lottery: Last December, in recognition of World AIDS Day, the Illinois Lottery and the Illinois Department of Public Health unveiled a new Quality of Life scratch-off-ticket, "Red Ribbon Bonus Bucks," which directs 100 percent of net proceeds to support HIV/AIDS prevention education and awareness across Illinois. Through this effort, the state of Illinois can provide grants to HIV/AIDS organizations while raising awareness of HIV transmission and prevention.
—Maintaining the AIDS Drug Assistance Program ( ADAP ) : We cannot afford the financial or personal cost of failing to fights HIV infections. Last fiscal year, I averted ADAP waiting lists and kept the program open to people who are newly diagnosed with HIV by nearly tripling the amount of state funding provided to the program, from $7 million in FY 09 to over $20 million in FY 2010. While other states cut support and risked the lives and health of people with HIV, I'm proud that we were able to maintain our long-standing commitment to strong public health programs. I call on the federal government to do its part in meeting the growing need for ADAP by increasing funding for the program.
—Funding for age-appropriate, medically accurate sexual health education: We must also continue to educate our youth to make responsible, safe decisions with age-appropriate, medically accurate, evidence-based sexual health education. In September, I rejected funds for the Title V abstinence-only-until-marriage program ( Title V ) and applied for the Personal Responsibility Education Program ( PREP ) funding for evidence-based programs.
—Leading by example: To battle this recession and put the Illinois economy back on its feet, we must make sure that employers reach out to every talented and productive person in Illinois, regardless of HIV status. As Governor, I have appointed Brent Adams as Secretary of Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, making him the first openly HIVpositive cabinet-level official in Illinois history. Secretary Adams is well-regarded and effective leader, and his contributions to the efforts of my Administration benefit the entire state.
My approach to public health has been shaped by my longtime physician, Dr. Quentin Young, the former president of the American Public Health Association, who has been recognized as a national leader in public health policy and medical and social issues. In 2001, I walked alongside Quentin Young from the Mississippi River in Rock Island to Lake Michigan in Chicago to promote the need to provide decent health care for everyone.
We cannot allow the economic downturn to diminish our efforts to fight for public health. In these tough times, we must wield the time-tested tools of public health advocacy—factual, targeted, repeated messages, combined with affordable access to health care. Today, the state of Illinois is facing a double-digit deficit for the coming fiscal year. We must deal with the financial reality of our times. However, we also must remember that public health programs are tremendously cost-effective—sharply reducing state expense while preserving the health and economic wellbeing
of individual men and women. This is why I maintained funding for ADAP this year, despite budget cutbacks.
My administration is making every effort to protect vital programs and achieve new, much-needed revenue sources. We must face this tough fiscal reality together, working in partnership to find innovative, affordable and effective ways to protect and promote the health of everyone in Illinois.
