Facts about
HIV and Youth
in Washington, DC (.pdf)

Links to Washington Post and Washington Blade Articles about the funding loss.

July 1, 2004

Washington, D.C. area youth will not receive essential HIV education messages as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) eliminated programs to reach the nation's most vulnerable population. Despite alarming local statistics, the Centers for Disease Control's newest grant funding cycle has stripped the District of nearly $1 million this year for youth-focused HIV prevention programs that have proven to be effective.

According to the most recent data available from CDC, Washington, D.C. has the highest AIDS rate of any American city. Much of the rate of HIV infection occurs among Washington area youth. The 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System published by the CDC found that 63.9% of District high school students (9 - 12th grades) had had sex; 1 in 6 reported that they had sexual intercourse for the first time before age 13.

The recent funding cycle is part of new national program guidelines that shifts focus on providing HIV prevention services to those who already know that they are infected.

The result of our government's action will be thousands more young people becoming unnecessarily infected - many of whom will die before they reach their 30th birthdays. Young people will die because our leaders are uncomfortable discussing sexuality and health with the young people. We must not let ideology guide policy!

The Centers for Disease Control's new policy has eliminated programs that have been most effective in preventing new HIV infections. Rather than destroying these programs and denying young people the information and service they need to protect themselves, the CDC should be bolstering them.

To read more about how funding cuts will affect our city click on th links below.

Washington Post Editorial 8/2/04

Washington Post Article 7/19/04

Washington Blade Article 7/2/04

Kojo Nmamdi Show 6/15/04

Washington Post Article 7/17/03