Recognizes National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day to support HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention, and treatment efforts for young people, while addressing disparities and promoting inclusive healthcare and education.
Mark Pocan
Representative
WI-2
This resolution recognizes April 10th as National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day to encourage investment in the health and education of young people, who are disproportionately affected by HIV. It supports comprehensive HIV prevention and treatment strategies, including access to care and accurate information, while urging the removal of discriminatory laws and increased funding for relevant programs. The resolution emphasizes the importance of youth leadership and involvement in decisions impacting their health, advocating for a generation free of HIV stigma. It also acknowledges the negative impact of restricted bodily autonomy on youth access to HIV prevention and care.
House Resolution Backs Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, Calls for Better Prevention, Treatment Access & Funding
This resolution formally recognizes April 10th as National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, putting a spotlight on the ongoing impact of HIV on young people. It notes some stark numbers: in 2020, individuals aged 13 to 24 made up 20% of all new HIV diagnoses in the U.S., and over half of young people living with HIV might not even know their status. The resolution aims to encourage more focused action and investment in the health, education, and leadership of young Americans concerning HIV/AIDS.
Beyond Awareness: Pushing for Concrete Actions
The resolution goes further than just marking a date; it outlines a supportive stance on several key policy areas. It backs the right for young people to get education, prevention services, treatment, and care without facing discrimination or stigma. This includes promoting comprehensive sex education that incorporates information about modern prevention tools like PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis – medication to prevent HIV). It also supports updating or removing scientifically outdated state laws that can unfairly criminalize young people based on their HIV status.
Making Healthcare Accessible for Youth
A significant part of the resolution focuses on breaking down barriers to healthcare. It specifically urges making health services, including HIV testing, PrEP, and antiretroviral therapy (ART – medication to treat HIV), accessible to young people, potentially without requiring parental consent. The idea here, as stated in the resolution, is to improve early identification and get more young people into consistent care, addressing the finding that youth living with HIV are less likely to achieve viral suppression. It also highlights the disproportionate impact on young Black Americans, particularly gay and bisexual men, emphasizing the need for targeted approaches.
Funding and Strategy: Connecting the Pieces
Recognizing that action requires resources, the resolution supports boosting funds for programs crucial to youth HIV care. This includes established initiatives like the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (specifically Part D focusing on women, infants, children, and youth), CDC adolescent health divisions, and Medicaid. It also advocates for funding community-level efforts like mentorship, patient navigation, and PrEP access programs. The resolution calls for a comprehensive strategy developed with input from young people, parents, health workers, educators, and community leaders, aiming to reduce stigma and build a future generation of HIV/AIDS professionals. Finally, it notes that legislative efforts restricting bodily autonomy, such as those impacting abortion or transgender healthcare, can indirectly harm HIV prevention and treatment access for young people.