New York Lawmakers Propose Creation of State Agency for HIV/AIDS Services
Two New York lawmakers have introduced a bill (S 6035) to create a state HIV/AIDS agency that would make it easier for HIV-positive residents to access benefits and support services, the New York Daily News reports. State Sen. Thomas Duane (D) and Assembly member Roger Green (D) joined HIV/AIDS advocates at a rally outside City Hall in Manhattan on Saturday to call for the creation of a state division of AIDS services. Duane, the Senate's first openly gay and HIV-positive member, sponsored similar legislation in 1997 as a member of the New York City Council that eventually led to the creation of the city's HIV/AIDS Services Administration. The new bill would create a similar department in every county in the state and allow HIV-positive individuals to apply for benefits -- such as Medicaid, food stamps, financial aid and rent subsidies -- all at the same time. "If you live outside the five boroughs [of New York City], there is no one place you can go to get services," Duane said, adding, "It's tragic that many New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS have no idea what services and benefits are available to them" (Sacks, New York Daily News, 2/10).
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