Grass Roots Advocacy Campaign: An HIV Community responds – Tips & Strategies from the Florida experience Joey Wynn – Broward House Jason King – AIDS Healthcare Foundation

Essential Elements of a Strategy to create opposition to ADAP reductions: Create an Advocacy Network Create an Advocacy Network Develop a timeline Develop a timeline Have a goal – make it simple Have a goal – make it simple Get funding sponsors Get funding sponsors Have Solutions Have Solutions Ask for help! Ask for help!

Essential Elements of a Strategy to create opposition to ADAP reductions: Create an advocacy network of PLWH, service providers, and opinion leaders: Create an advocacy network of PLWH, service providers, and opinion leaders: –first locally, then regional, then statewide –Conference calls are easy to manage! 1 main call, other subcommittees as needed. Provides buy in from others –Conference calls are low cost and easy to get funded! –Keep it short & sweet! 1 hour maximum, agenda sent out via ahead of time, at least 1 week in advance –Utilize Facebook & other social media outlets for easy contact and quick updates. Perfect for sharing pix of past events

Essential Elements of a Strategy to create opposition to ADAP reductions: Develop a timeline Develop a timeline –Work backwards from dates you need to have an event –Key events for organizing, operational and logistical issues; Buses, water, food, travel times, safety, Media alerts etc… –Link tasks to an accountable person or groups or agencies to keep things organizing!

Essential Elements of a Strategy to create opposition to ADAP reductions: Get funding sponsors – many are willing to help! Get funding sponsors – many are willing to help! –Local foundations, Pharmaceutical Industry, local agencies and private donors will provide funds or resources to make your events a success! –Some will provide funds, some food, some favors, some parking spaces or fast track filing permits etc……

Essential Elements of a Strategy to create opposition to ADAP reductions: Have solutions! Have solutions! –Identify areas where you can reduce costs, provide better efficiencies, or areas to improve productivity –Be positive and helpful, not pessimistic, accusatory, or negative. –Sometimes your suggestions are working against the Bureaucracies goals – be willing to compromise in some areas

Essential Elements of a Strategy to create opposition to ADAP reductions: ASK FOR HELP! These agencies have public policy departments or advocacy staff that can help, or send you tools to get started) –Housing Works (NY) –AIDS Healthcare Foundation (CA / DC / FL) –Florida HIV AIDS Advocacy Network (FL) –The AIDS Institute (TAI – FL / DC) – AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC – IL / DC) –Other Partners – Campaign to End AIDS (C2EA)

Problem Statement Currently the Bureau (BoHA) can serve approximately 9,500 persons on ADAP with level funding. Currently the Bureau (BoHA) can serve approximately 9,500 persons on ADAP with level funding. This still leaves the ADAP waitlist which is growing and currently has almost 4,000 persons. How do we address the waitlist? This still leaves the ADAP waitlist which is growing and currently has almost 4,000 persons. How do we address the waitlist? No indication of a cash infusion to clear the waitlist with current eligibility. No indication of a cash infusion to clear the waitlist with current eligibility. Possible changes in financial eligibility. Possible changes in financial eligibility.

Potential Effects - AICP AIDS Insurance Cont. Program Federal Poverty Level (FPL) Numbers AIDS Insurance Cont. Program Federal Poverty Level (FPL) Numbers The total clients currently being served is approximately 1,900 and a wait list of 168. The numbers above reflect the impact of those falling below 200% FPL. Funding based on an average monthly premium of $ (per AICP CBA)

Potential Effects - ADAP The numbers above reflect the impact of those falling below 200% FPL. The total clients currently being served is approximately is 9,541 and a waitlist of 3,912. The numbers above reflect the impact of those falling below 200% FPL. Funding based on an average of $10,000 per client per year. ADAP Federal Poverty Level Numbers