Congresswoman Lee Marks 4th Anniversary of National HIV/AIDS Strategy
“As we mark the four-year anniversary of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, I commend President Obama for heeding our call and for the progress we are making in the fight against the virus,” said Congresswoman Lee. “I especially commend the Department of Justice on releasing a Best Practices Guide to reform HIV-specific criminalization laws. The Strategy’s efforts to bring criminal law up to date with public health goals that are critical to eliminating HIV-related discrimination and stigma in our country.”
On July 16, 2014, the Department of Justice (DOJ) released a Best Practices Guide to Reform HIV-specific Criminal Laws to Align with Scientifically Supported Factors. As noted in the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, many states still have criminal laws that have not keep pace with the current understanding of public health best practices for preventing and treating HIV. Instead, these policies may make people less willing to get tested, disclose their status and undermine the public health goals of promoting HIV screening and treatment. This guide is intended to share best practices for aligning criminal law with the public health goal of reducing HIV-related stigma.
“As we look to the future, there is still much to be done. HIV/AIDS continues to disproportionately affect communities of color, especially among women and young gay and bisexual men. We must enhance outreach, testing and treatment, including to most at-risk populations. We must also vigorously support research to bring us closer to a vaccine or cure. The National HIV/AIDS Strategy has shown us that the goal of an AIDS-free generation is within reach with our continued commitment and innovative efforts,” added Congresswoman Lee.