REMARKS
Council Member Schulman's opening remarks on HASA and HIV/AIDS services
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Council Member Lynn C. Schulman, chair of the NYC Council's Committee on Health, delivers opening remarks for a hearing on HASA (HIV/AIDS Services Administration) and introduces related legislation. She emphasizes the progress made in addressing the HIV/AIDS epidemic while highlighting ongoing challenges and the need for sustained commitment.
- Schulman introduces a pre-considered bill to update HASA eligibility language and Resolution 175 regarding housing assistance for individuals with HIV across New York State.
- She discusses recent increases in HIV diagnoses, potential federal funding cuts, and the importance of New York City stepping up to support vulnerable residents.
- The council member stresses the critical role of HASA in providing services to New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS and the need for continued support and leadership in uncertain times.
Lynn C. Schulman
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Thank you, chair Ayala.
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Good morning, everyone.
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I am council member Lynn Shulman, chair of the New York City Council's Committee on Health.
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Thank you for joining us at today's hearing on HASA and on my pre considered introduction, which would update the eligibility language for HASA services to include any person with HIV and resolution one seventy five sponsored by council member Chiyo Sei, relating to the provision of housing assistance and supportive services for individuals living with HIV across New York State.
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It's important to recognize the immense progress that has been made over the years in addressing the HIV AIDS epidemic.
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It is equally essential to acknowledge that this progress is fragile and requires sustained commitment.
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According to DOHMH, in 2023, over fifteen hundred people in New York City were newly diagnosed with HIV.
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This is an almost eight percent increase from 2022 and contrast with the year to year decline in new diagnoses since 02/2001.
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It cannot it cannot go unmentioned that the federal government plays a central role in funding HIV aid services through programs like the Ryan White HIV aids program, and it is unclear how reliable those funding sources will be in the near future.
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Potential cuts to Medicaid and changes to health care policies like the Affordable Care Act could lead to fewer people receiving insurance coverage for HIV related services, medications, and testing.
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These are all very real possibilities and simultaneously, we are seeing rollbacks of protections for the LGBTQ plus discrimination in healthcare settings.
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In light of all this uncertainty, New York City must step up to ensure that our most vulnerable residents have access to the care, resources, and support that they need and deserve.
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As chair Ayala mentioned, HASA has been a lifeline for thousands of New Yorkers living with HIV and AIDS.
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It provides critical services from housing assistance to medical care and case management, ensuring that individuals can live with dignity, respect, and access to the treatment they deserve.
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This council understands that we are not just protecting the health of our residents, we are protecting the values that make New York City compassionate and inclusive.
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The HIV AIDS crisis is far from over and as long as New Yorkers continue to live with HIV and grow older, we must continue to support them with a robust and reliable response.
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We must ensure that New York City remains a model of hope, progress, and leadership in the fight against HIV AIDS in these uncertain times.
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I wanna conclude by thanking the committee staff for their work on this hearing.
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Committee counsel, Sarah Suchar, Chris Pepe, policy analyst, Joshua Newman, and the finance staff, Dan Danielle Heifetz and Florentine Kabore, as well as my team Jonathan Boucher, Kevin McAlear, and Avigail Zucker.
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I now turn the mic back to chair Ayala.