SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Governor Rod R. Blagojevich today honored World AIDS Day in Illinois by ordering lights at the Capitol building in Springfield and other state government buildings be dimmed to coincide with the candlelight vigil scheduled in Washington D.C. The World AIDS Day 2006 campaign “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise,” calls on government leaders and policy makers continue funding HIV and AIDS education and prevention programs and to make all the necessary resources available in order to overcome the AIDS epidemic .
“Here in Illinois, we are keeping our promise to provide necessary resources for access to care, treatment and support in order to overcome the AIDS epidemic,” said Gov. Blagojevich. “Every level of our society is affected by the devastation of HIV and AIDS. To win this fight, we need to broaden our efforts to educate and raise awareness about prevention and testing.”
This year marks the 25 th anniversary of the identification of AIDS, Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. It is estimated more than 25 million people have died of AIDS-related causes since 1981.
Gov. Blagojevich has been a leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The Governor boosted spending for the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) by $2.5 million in fiscal year 2007 bringing it to a total of $41 million. These funds allow more people with HIV or AIDS, who meet eligibility requirements, to be served and increase the number of life sustaining medicines. ADAP, considered one of the best drug assistance programs in the country, provides HIV prescriptions to thousands of clients each month.
Gov. Blagojevich also signed House Bill 4302, which added HIV/AIDS to the list of diseases covered under the Illinois Cares Rx program. This program provides prescription drug assistance to low-income seniors and persons with disabilities that suffer from certain illnesses or conditions. For people who qualify for both Medicare Part D and Illinois Cares Rx Basic, HIV/AIDS drugs covered by Medicare Part D will be “wrapped” so that these individuals will have small affordable co-payments.
Programs targeting communities of color, which include African Americans, Hispanics and Asians, are a top priority of the state’s HIV/AIDS prevention efforts. For fiscal year 2007, the Governor has budgeted $3.2 million for Minority AIDS Prevention. Last year, t he Governor also launched BASUAH (Brothers and Sisters United Against HIV/AIDS), an aggressive $2.5 million HIV/AIDS awareness campaign to address the alarming trend of infection among the state’s African-American community.
The Governor has charged Dr. Eric E. Whitaker, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health, with leading delegations to Africa to be involved in this Pandemic at the international level. This summer, Dr. Whitaker visited the Republic of Liberia in West Africa to provide assistance for implementing a program to prevent mother to child HIV transmission. The delegation provided assistance that helped Liberian health officials receive a $44 million Global Fund grant. Dr. Whitaker is currently in South Africa as part of a sister state exchange between the Northern Cape Province and the State of Illinois.
“The message is simple—to stop AIDS we must get tested to know our status and avoid behaviors that put us at risk,” said Dr. Whitaker. “In Illinois, AIDS numbers are down because of better medical therapies to slow down the progression from HIV to AIDS. But, by contrast, HIV numbers are up because of risky behavior – unprotected sex, multiple sex partners, and sharing needles to inject drugs.”
In Illinois, there have been 32,641 reported cases of AIDS since 1981. Illinois has the sixth highest total of AIDS cases in the nation.
In remembrance of Illinoisans who have lost their lives to this disease, a World AIDS Day observance will be held from 6:45 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. The lights will be dimmed at the State Capitol Rotunda in Springfield, and in Chicago at the James R. Thompson Center and Bilandic Building. The Illinois Department of Public Health will offer free HIV testing from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Union Baptist Church in Springfield.
The toll-free Illinois AIDS/HIV and STD Hotline is available to answer questions about HIV/AIDS and to provide locations of free counseling and testing services. The hotline can be reached at 1-800-243-2437 or TTY 1-800-782-0423 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. weekdays and between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. weekends. Information about HIV/AIDS is also available at
The Illinois Department of Public Health will also hold more than 20 HIV/AIDS testing and awareness events today across the state. Following is a list of those events.
Date |
Agency |
Location |
Time |
HIV Testing |
Activity |
12/01/2006 |
AIDS Project Quad Cities
1705 2nd Ave, Ste 504
Rock Island,IL
Wendy Kelly
309-788-5698 |
Local Barber & Beauty Shops
Rock Island |
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. |
Yes |
HIV Testing & news articles in local paper |
12/01/2006 |
Crusader Clinic
1200 W. State Street
Rockford, IL 61102
Shelton Kay
815-490-1737 |
Hunters Night Club
Rockford, IL |
10 p.m. - 2 a.m. |
Yes |
Material distribution, outreach & education |
12/01/2006 |
Fifth Street Renaissance
518 N. 5th Street, P.O. Box 5181
Springfield, IL
Kelly Ann Vassell contact at ISU
309-438-8968 |
|
Noon - 5 p.m. |
Yes |
Material distribution, outreach & education.
5th Street Renaissance doing HIV Testing on site |
12/01/2006 |
Bridging the Tys to Jordan
Tyson Everett
773-425-8159 |
10559 S. Torrence
Chicago |
10 a.m. – 2p.m. |
Yes |
Material distribution, outreach & education |
12/01/2006 |
Greater Westside Development Corporation
3333 W. Arthington, Ste 101B
Chicago, IL
Beverly Walker-Donley
773-485-1715 |
Dominick's Food Store
Homan & Roosevelt Rd
Chicago, IL |
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. |
Yes |
Material distribution, outreach & education |
12/01/2006 |
Greater Westside Development Corporation
3333 W. Arthington, Ste 101B
Chicago, IL
Beverly Walker-Donley
773-485-1715 |
George's Music Room
Roosevelt Road & Springfield Ave
Chicago, IL |
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. |
Yes |
Material distribution, outreach & education |
12/01/2006 |
Greater Westside Development Corporation
3333 W. Arthington, Ste 101B
Chicago, IL
Beverly Walker-Donley
773-485-1715 |
Thompson Center
100 W. Randolph Street
Chicago, IL |
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. |
Yes |
Material distribution, outreach & education |
12/01/2006 |
Greater Westside Development Corporation
3333 W. Arthington, Ste 101B
Chicago, IL
Beverly Walker-Donley
773-485-1715 |
Freedom Salon
1518 N. Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL |
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. |
Yes |
Material distribution, outreach & education |
12/01/2006 |
Greater Westside Development Corporation
3333 W. Arthington, Ste 101B
Chicago, IL
Beverly Walker-Donley
773-485-1715 |
Ibiza Boutique
233 E. 47th Street
Chicago, IL |
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. |
Yes |
Material distribution, outreach & education |
12/01/2006 |
Greater Westside Development Corporation
3333 W. Arthington, Ste 101B
Chicago, IL
Beverly Walker-Donley
773-485-1715 |
Howard Brown Clinic
4025 N. Sheridan
Chicago, IL |
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. |
Yes |
Material distribution, outreach & education |
12/01/2006 |
Greater Westside Development Corporation
3333 W. Arthington, Ste 101B
Chicago, IL
Beverly Walker-Donley
773-485-1715 |
Crucial Cuts Barber Shop
357 E. 79th Street
Chicago, IL |
10 a.m. - 2 p.m. |
Yes |
Material distribution, outreach & education |
12/01/2006 |
Greater Westside Development Corporation
3333 W. Arthington, Ste 101B
Chicago, IL
Beverly Walker-Donley
773-485-1715 |
Malcolm X College
1900 W. Van Buren
Chicago, IL |
6 p.m. - 9 p.m. |
No |
Gospel Shout Out, material distribution, outreach & education |
12/01/2006 |
Healthcare Alternative Systems, Inc. (6 locations)
Marco Jacome
773-252-3100 |
2755 W. Armitage
Chicago, IL 60647 |
10:30 a.m. – 7 p.m. |
No |
Creating Quilt to travel between sites, speakers & candlelight ceremony |
12/01/2006 |
Hektoen Institute
2100 W. Harrison
Chicago, IL
Arthur Moswin, M.D.
312-312-572-2713 |
Provident Hospital
500 E. 51st Street
Chicago, Il 60615 |
Noon |
No |
Commemorative luncheon for staff, patients & families |
12/01/2006 |
IL Department of Public Health
Center for Minority Health Services
535 W. Jefferson Street
Springfield, IL
Doris Turner
217-785-4311 |
Union Baptist Church
1405 E. Monroe
Springfield, IL |
6 - 8 p.m. |
Yes |
Material distribution, outreach & education, Fifth Street Renaissance doing HIV testing on site. |
12/01/2006 |
Northwest Austin Council
5730 W. Division
Chicago, IL
Larry J. Shepherd
773-454-7324 |
76th Street & Racine
Chicago |
9 a.m. - 2 p.m. |
No |
HIV prevention, Question & Answer Session |
12/01/2006 |
Phoenix Center
109 E. Lawrence
Springfield, IL
Jonna Cooley
217-528-5253 |
Phoenix Center
109 E. Lawrence Ave
Springfield, IL |
8 a.m. - 10 a.m. |
No |
Kickoff Reception & Breakfast, invited guests |
12/01/2006 |
Phoenix Center
109 E. Lawrence
Springfield, IL
Jonna Cooley
217-528-5253 |
Prisms, Station House & 11th Street Coffee House
Springfield, IL |
10 p.m. - Midnight |
Yes |
Material distribution, outreach & education |
12/01/2006 |
Roseland Christian Health Ministries
9718 S. Halsted
Chicago, IL
Virgil Tolbert
773-533-5600 |
Footprints
2815 West Fifth Ave
Chicago, IL |
11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. |
Yes |
Material distribution, outreach & education |
12/01/2006 |
Southeast Alcohol & Drug Abuse Center
8640 S. South Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL
Norman Littlejohn
773-731-9100 |
Southeast Alcohol & Drug Abuse Center
8640 S. South Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL 60617 |
10 a.m. |
Yes |
Speaker, HIV Prevention, Counseling & Testing |
12/01/2006 |
Springfield Community Federation
501 S. 13th Street
Springfield, IL
Tanya Brawner
217-557-0052 |
State Capitol
Springfield, IL |
9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. |
No |
Material distribution, outreach & education |
12/01/2006 |
University of Illinois at Springfield
Ar'Sheill Sinclair
217-524-6798 |
Public Affairs Colloquium
University of IL
Springfield, IL |
8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m. |
Yes |
Material distribution, outreach & education |
12/02/2006 |
Broadcast Ministers Alliance
45th & Princeton Ave
Chicago, IL
Dr. Leon Dingle
312-666-0202 |
Chicago State University
Breakey Theater
9501 S. King Drive
Chicago, IL |
5 p.m. |
No |
Healthy Families: I Dream a World Full of Love, performance by Sheryl Lee Ralph |
12/02/2006 |
IL Department of Public Health
Center for Minority Health Services
535 W. Jefferson Street
Springfield, IL
Doris Turner
217-785-4311 |
San Lucas United Church of Christ
Chicago, IL |
2 p.m. - 8 p.m. |
Yes |
Spoken word, open mic, hip hop performance IDPH co-sponsor |
12/02/2006 |
Liberty Baptist Church
4849 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Dr
Chicago , Il 60615
Minister Gangley
773-268-6757 |
Liberty Baptist Church
4849 S. Dr. Martin Luther King Dr
Chicago, Il 60615 |
all day workshop |
No |
Youth summit |
