Post by Logan on Jun 25, 2016 4:25:57 GMT -6
Thousands of New York City residents who are H.I.V.-positive will become eligible for public assistance for housing, transportation and food under a significant expansion of a state program that some activists had feared was being delayed.
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Thursday that low-income city residents who are H.I.V.-positive but asymptomatic would get the same assistance as low-income residents who show symptoms. About 6,500 to 7,000 additional people are expected to benefit from the expansion of the program, known as the H.I.V./AIDS Services Administration, or HASA, which now helps about 32,000 people.
The announcement came after what some advocates described as a series of broken promises by Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, to expand the program, fully administer a plan meant to end H.I.V. and AIDS in New York by 2020 and finance that plan. Jeremy Saunders, an executive director of VOCAL-NY, a nonprofit focused on helping low-income people with H.I.V. and AIDS, said activists had been frustrated by Mr. Cuomo’s failure to move forward on the expansion more quickly.
Advocates were preparing to pressure Mr. Cuomo just before New York City’s annual gay pride parade and festival this weekend. “We are thankful to the governor that he has finally taken this step forward after a hard-fought campaign,” Mr. Saunders said.
Read more: www.nytimes.com/2016/06/25/nyregion/cuomo-expands-hiv-benefits-in-new-york-city.html
Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced on Thursday that low-income city residents who are H.I.V.-positive but asymptomatic would get the same assistance as low-income residents who show symptoms. About 6,500 to 7,000 additional people are expected to benefit from the expansion of the program, known as the H.I.V./AIDS Services Administration, or HASA, which now helps about 32,000 people.
The announcement came after what some advocates described as a series of broken promises by Mr. Cuomo, a Democrat, to expand the program, fully administer a plan meant to end H.I.V. and AIDS in New York by 2020 and finance that plan. Jeremy Saunders, an executive director of VOCAL-NY, a nonprofit focused on helping low-income people with H.I.V. and AIDS, said activists had been frustrated by Mr. Cuomo’s failure to move forward on the expansion more quickly.
Advocates were preparing to pressure Mr. Cuomo just before New York City’s annual gay pride parade and festival this weekend. “We are thankful to the governor that he has finally taken this step forward after a hard-fought campaign,” Mr. Saunders said.
Read more: www.nytimes.com/2016/06/25/nyregion/cuomo-expands-hiv-benefits-in-new-york-city.html