The next National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) must include factors vital to the survival and well-being of women living with HIV. On April 13, at AIDSWatch 2015 in Washington, DC, PWN-USA released a set of recommendations for consideration by the Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) as it develops the second iteration of the NHAS. Among the recommendations is a demand for a minimum national standard of care for people living with HIV, which would include clinical and non-clinical quality of life guidelines. PWN-USA also strongly recommends developing a national initiative focused on access and quality of care for Black women living with HIV, and taking action to ensure transgender women’s access to culturally relevant prevention and services. Read PWN-USA’s press release announcing our recommendations Read the full text of the recommendations Download a PDF version of the full recommendations   TALKING POINTS – Women with HIV Must Be a Priority in the Next US National HIV/AIDS Strategy ONAP is holding a series of regional forums in Los Angeles, Nashville, Detroit, and Boston, in the coming weeks to inform the updated National HIV/AIDS Strategy for 2016-2020. Click this link for dates and times of the meetings, from the White House blog. We encourage community members to use the talking points below to bring these recommendations to ONAP’s community convenings. See below for key talking points; you can also download a printable version of the talking points (PDF).
  The next National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) must include factors critical to the health, vitality, dignity, and quality of life of women living with HIV.  
  1. Develop a National Standard of Care for People with HIV
  • Develop a minimum standard of care for all people with HIV that includes clinical and non-clinical indicators. All payers, public and private, must be held to this standard. Such a standard should include:
    • Sexual and reproductive healthcare for people with HIV at all life stages and of all gender identities, including transgender women.
    • High-quality clinical care, including necessary HIV and mental health medications, that is affordable and accessible.
    • Screening for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and intimate partner violence
    • Facilitative services that include childcare, transportation, substance use and mental health services, and housing, for those who need them.
 
  1. Launch an initiative for Black women living with HIV
  • Such an initiative must define standards that improve quality of care and access to care for Black women living with HIV. In addition, it should target regions where Black women are most impacted (Southern US and Northeast) and must mandate anti-racism training for providers and health departments.
 
  1. Launch a national initiative to enhance Culturally Relevant Prevention and Care for Transgender Women
  • All CDC- and HRSA-funded sites should adopt the two-step question on gender identity and assigned sex at birth.
  • ONAP must ensure fully inclusive and comprehensive healthcare delivery for transgender women living with HIV.
All of the above should be developed and launched with meaningful involvement from networks of people living with HIV. Download a PDF version of the above talking points