Public input sought for use of AIDS funds

The council that oversees distribution of federal funds for treating and caring for AIDS and HIV-positive patients is soliciting public input this month to identify areas of need.

The council meets 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. July 8 at the Elks Lodge, 4100 W. Charleston Blvd., to determine what medical and support services are required.

It meets again 1 to 5 p.m. July 22 at Clark County Social Services, 1600 Pinto Lane, to decide how much each service should get.

This year $3.4 million was awarded to Clark and Nye counties and Mohave County, Ariz., in March as part of the federal Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act that was created by Congress in August 1990.

The council is meeting to prepare to apply for Ryan White funds for next year. It hopes to receive another $3 million.

The federal government identified Clark County last year as an area that needed money to help treat and care for HIV-positive and AIDS patients. Out of 75 metropolitan cities with populations of more than 500,000 people, Las Vegas was ranked 24th in the nation for cases of HIV and AIDS.

According to the Clark County Health District's Office of AIDS, in April there were 1,594 people living with AIDS in the county and 2,104 who were HIV-positive.

The council will again identify 29 areas to fund. In a recent survey of HIV/AIDS patients, 10 of those areas were stressed as being very important. They included outpatient primary physician care, easier access to medications, rental assistance, emergency financial assistance, vision care, food allowances, housing assistance, dental care, transportation and more case management.

"These resources are a mechanism to stop people from going from being HIV-positive to full-blown AIDS," Rich Reich, AIDS Services coordinator for the Clark County Health District, said.

Michael Collins, an AIDS certified registered nurse with University Medical Center's Wellness Center, said Ryan White funds have had a tremendous effect on AIDS in Clark County.

Now people have better access to medical care, Collins said, and those who didn't take their medications because they had other issues in their lives, such as drug or alcohol addiction, have access to counselors.

The two planning council meetings are open to the public. Call 263-4647.

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