City Council Stands Up for People Living with HIV/AIDS in Latest Budget Negotiations

In the 30th year of the HIV epidemic, HIV/AIDS services faced the prospect of being gutted in the Mayor's Executive Budget.  HIV/AIDS Services Administration (HASA) contracts were primarily on the chopping block, but the New York City Council stepped in and negotiated to restore this critical funding.  This was no easy task, considering the depth of cuts to critical social services.  Supportive housing for people living with HIV/AIDS faced a $5.1 million cut, and Momentum's nutrition services for people living with HIV/AIDS along with GMHC's Money Management services were slated to be eliminated.
   
"These restorations truly demonstrate New York City Council's unwavering commitment to people living with HIV/AIDS and ending the epidemic," said Marjorie J. Hill Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Gay Men's Health Crisis (GMHC).  "On behalf of our clients who will benefit most from these restorations, I extend my heartfelt appreciation to Speaker Christine Quinn and all of City Council." 

GMHC especially thanks the following council members for their help:

• Speaker Christine Quinn
• General Welfare Committee Chair Annabel Palma
• Health Committee Chair Maria del Carmen Arroyo
• Manhattan Delegation Co-Chairs Gale Brewer & Daniel Garodnick
• Finance Chair Dominic Recchia
• Education Committee Chair Robert Jackson
• Melissa Mark-Viverito
• Rosie Mendez
• Jimmy Van Bramer
• Daniel Dromm
• Deborah Rose
• Letitia James
• Fernando Cabrera

GMHC remains committed to working with New York City Council, as well as all of our elected officials in the ongoing fight to end AIDS.  HIV continues to be a real and growing problem in New York City. According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene 3,660 people found out that they were HIV positive last year and 108,886 people were living with HIV/AIDS at the end of the year.