Florida's AIDS Drug Program Has the Longest Waiting List in the United States

Advocates are pressing Florida lawmakers to secure additional funding for the state AIDS Drug Assistance Program.

As of Feb. 23, Florida’s ADAP had 1,085 people on its waiting list, the most for any state ADAP in the nation, according to the National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors. “The Florida Senate’s budget proposes an increase for Florida’s ADAP program, but currently there are no recommendations for similar increases from the Florida House of Representatives,” noted the Florida HIV/AIDS Advocacy Network. In response, the network is seeking “to gain support among House members to join the Florida Senate and work together to eliminate the waiting list for Florida ADAP.”

Of those on the waiting list in mid-February, almost half resided in Broward and Miami-Dade counties, according to the state Bureau of HIV/AIDS. While Gov. Rick Scott did not propose additional ADAP funding for 2012-13, his office said “he is looking at the whole program with the goal of reducing unnecessary administrative costs and making it operate more efficiently so that more people can be served with the funds we already have.”

The Friends of AIDS Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for HIV positive individuals and empowering people to make healthy choices to prevent the spread of the HIV virus. To learn more about The Friends of AIDS Foundation, please visit: http://www.friendsofaids.org.

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