On June 23, 2016, Governor Andrew Cuomo announced all
HIV-positive individuals in New York City will become eligible to
receive housing, transportation and nutritional support. The significant
expansion of eligibility for Emergency Shelter Assistance is a result
of a policy issued by the State Department of Health’s AIDS Institute
that eliminates the technical distinction between those who are
considered in need of care and those who are not. It has long been
proven that all individuals who are diagnosed with HIV – whether they
show symptoms or do not – benefit from receiving care.
“With today’s compassionate and common sense guidance, we are creating a better future for all New Yorkers living with an HIV positive diagnosis,” Governor Cuomo said. “Our commitment to fighting this disease is unrelenting and guided by our remembrance of those we lost. Every individual living with HIV should have access to life-saving care, regardless of whether or not they are symptomatic of the disease at that moment.”
New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said: “New York was once the epicenter of the AIDS crisis, but we have made remarkable progress to reverse that trajectory, and get New Yorkers the proper care and treatment they need to live healthier lives. I commend Governor Cuomo and the AIDS Institute for recognizing the need to expand access to every HIV positive individual and continue the momentum to end the epidemic once and for all.”
Today, it is common knowledge and consistent with recommendations of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that care and treatment should begin immediately upon diagnosis of HIV in order to achieve viral load suppression. For this reason, HIV status is the current standard by which determinations are made for eligibility to receive care and treatment in a broad array of programs.
However in New York City, benefits for housing, transportation and nutrition are unnecessarily restricted to individuals on public assistance pursuant to obsolete terms such as “symptomatic” HIV or AIDS, and who are receiving HASA services. The guidance issued by the AIDS Institute, available here, clearly confirms that, to the extent permitted by law, the terms “clinical/symptomatic HIV illness or AIDS”, “AIDS or HIV-related illness”, and other similar terms shall mean laboratory-confirmed HIV diagnosis.
Consistent with the policy statement, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance has determined that those diagnosed with HIV will be eligible for Emergency Shelter Allowance, which includes a monthly transportation and nutrition allowance as well as a 30% income contribution cap toward rental costs for New York City Public Assistance recipients.
The new rule will go into effect in 60 days.
“With today’s compassionate and common sense guidance, we are creating a better future for all New Yorkers living with an HIV positive diagnosis,” Governor Cuomo said. “Our commitment to fighting this disease is unrelenting and guided by our remembrance of those we lost. Every individual living with HIV should have access to life-saving care, regardless of whether or not they are symptomatic of the disease at that moment.”
New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Howard Zucker said: “New York was once the epicenter of the AIDS crisis, but we have made remarkable progress to reverse that trajectory, and get New Yorkers the proper care and treatment they need to live healthier lives. I commend Governor Cuomo and the AIDS Institute for recognizing the need to expand access to every HIV positive individual and continue the momentum to end the epidemic once and for all.”
Today, it is common knowledge and consistent with recommendations of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that care and treatment should begin immediately upon diagnosis of HIV in order to achieve viral load suppression. For this reason, HIV status is the current standard by which determinations are made for eligibility to receive care and treatment in a broad array of programs.
However in New York City, benefits for housing, transportation and nutrition are unnecessarily restricted to individuals on public assistance pursuant to obsolete terms such as “symptomatic” HIV or AIDS, and who are receiving HASA services. The guidance issued by the AIDS Institute, available here, clearly confirms that, to the extent permitted by law, the terms “clinical/symptomatic HIV illness or AIDS”, “AIDS or HIV-related illness”, and other similar terms shall mean laboratory-confirmed HIV diagnosis.
Consistent with the policy statement, the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance has determined that those diagnosed with HIV will be eligible for Emergency Shelter Allowance, which includes a monthly transportation and nutrition allowance as well as a 30% income contribution cap toward rental costs for New York City Public Assistance recipients.
The new rule will go into effect in 60 days.
Source: Press Office, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
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