The National State of Emergency Declaration

On March 3, 1998, the CDC convened 33 African American leaders to report the incidence of HIV/AIDS in their communities. The results were startling: With African Americans representing only 12% of the population and with only 30 states reporting statistics to the CDC at the end of 1997, African Americans represented a disproportionate 52% of reported HIV cases.

The leaders responded quickly by drafting measures with BLCA and the Congressional Black Caucus. On May 11, 1998, Caucus leaders called on President Clinton and Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Donna Shalala. They declared a national State of Emergency in HIV/AIDS and public health for the African American community. The points of the declaration are summarized here:

1. Provide emergency medical support, expand and create services, increase funding, build capacity for community development, provide national governmental support.
2. Target 12 communities with the highest rates of new HIV infection, as determined by the CDC: New York, NY; Washington, DC; Baltimore, MD; Philadelphia, PA; Newark, NJ; Miami. FL; Chicago, IL; Atlanta, GA; Los Angeles, CA; Houston, TX; Fort Lauderdale, FL; Detroit, MI.
3. Address co-factors associated with mortality in HIV communities: drug abuse, poor treatment access, and insufficient clinical support to reduce the disproportionate incidence of infant mortality, STDs, diabetes, and hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
4. Provide governmental review to redirect/expand existing funding for HIV at national, state, and local levels as needed.
5. Provide emergency funding to increase access to drug treatments by 50% by 2000 and by 75% by 200
6. Increase number of AIDS community-based clinical trial programs.
7. Fund and integrate behavioral research models as part of preventive education for special populations.
8. Establish initiatives under the auspices of the Offices of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) to identify the diverse factors that cause such disparity in HIV infection and full-blown AIDS across local, regional, and national levels.
9. Use the expertise of community-based AIDS service providers to support AIDS-related organizations.
10. Ensure that representatives of targeted communities take part in top-level decisions regarding allocations of federal AIDS funding.
11. Review existing contracts with CDC and other HHS departments to ensure there is sufficient funding and organizational assistance to serve targeted communities.
12. Promote organizations that successfully integrate disease prevention and health management programs for racial and ethnic minorities.
13. Initiate White House briefings on the progress of the State of Emergency Declaration and promote the support of the American public for these emergency measures.
14. Gain more support from public and private foundations and corporations for improved HIV/AIDS services and better access for communities of color.
15. Provide leadership to change national policy agendas that cause racial and ethnic disparities.
16. Keep the American people educated about developments in the HIV/AIDS epidemic in targeted communities through a nationwide press campaign.