Assigned to HHS FOR
COMMITTEE
Assigned to HHS FOR
COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Third Legislature, Second Regular Session
HIV; needs assessment; prevention
Purpose
Requires the Director of the Department of Health Services (DHS) to establish and implement a Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Action Program.
Background
Pursuant to the DHS 2017 HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Annual Report, in 2016 there were 17,464 individuals with HIV living in Arizona and 780 new infections were reported to DHS.
The HIV Statewide Advisory Group (SWAG) was created in 2014 for the purpose of developing and monitoring a five-year plan to end the local HIV epidemic by 2021. SWAG and Maricopa County released the 2017 to 2021 Integrated HIV Prevention and Care Plan for Arizona. The Prevention and Care Plan delineated Arizona into three regions to determine the target populations and treatment and resource goals for each region. The various goals determined by the Prevention and Care Plan among each region include: 1) increasing access to care; 2) achieving a more coordinated response to the HIV epidemic; and 3) reducing new HIV infections.
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires the Director of DHS to establish and implement an HIV Action Program to:
a) complete a statewide HIV Prevention and Care Needs Assessment (Assessment) of target populations, by November 1, 2020;
b) identify community-based agencies that serve the HIV population and that are outside of the known HIV service system;
c) conduct outreach to increase community involvement in HIV prevention, education and stigma reduction;
d) develop a social media initiative to engage at-risk populations to be tested for HIV infection; and
e) analyze data from the Assessment annually to develop and implement HIV training and education initiatives.
2. Stipulates that target populations include people living with substance use issues.
3. Requires DHS, by January 1, 2021, to provide a report to the Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives, President of the Senate and Secretary of State regarding the outcomes of the Assessment and the Program's action plan.
4. Ends the HIV Action Program on July 1, 2028.
5. Defines terms.
6. Makes conforming changes.
7. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 9, 2018
CRS/JN/lat