TELL DSHS TO RESCHEDULE THE TEXAS HIV MEDICATION PROGRAM MEDICATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE (MAC) MEETING FOR MAY!

The Texas HIV Medication Program Medication Advisory Committee (MAC) just cancelled their April meeting, which was originally scheduled for April 17th. DSHS did this without a valid explanation and without proper notice to people living with HIV who serve on the committee.

100 DAYS IS TOO LONG TO WAIT. WE WANT A MEETING SCHEDULED IN THE NEXT 30 DAYS.

Call TODAY. Call TOMORROW. Call UNTIL THEY HEAR US. We won’t let DSHS get away with refusing to publicly engage with people living with HIV and our allies. We should not have to wait until July to receive critical updates about the Texas HIV Medication Program, a program that provides thousands of Texans living with HIV with life-saving medication. Given the fact that AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) across the country are under increasing financial strain, people living with HIV and allies deserve to have an audience with the MAC committee members to express our concerns and get answers. Tell DSHS to reschedule the MAC meeting within the next month and provide an updated budget and spending report of ADAP funds!

STEP ONE : Enter your address below to find your Texas House Representative and Senators phone numbers.

STEP TWO : Call your Texas State Representative, State Senator, and Texas ADAP administrators. Here's a script you can use:

Hi, my name is [NAME].

[If calling Rep or Senator]: I’m a constituent of Representative/Senator [NAME].

[If calling DSHS staff: I’m a person living with HIV or HIV advocate].

I'm calling to urge [insert name of representative/senator/DSHS staff] to have the Texas the Department of Health and Human Services reschedule the April Texas HIV Medication Program Medication Advisory Committee Meeting in the next 30 days so we can get a budget update and understand if the Texas HIV Medication Program will be able to continue providing life saving medications to people living with HIV in Texas over the next 3 years.

TALKING POINTS – SAY WHY HAVING CONSISTENT MEETINGS WITH DSHS MATTERS TO YOU, E.G.:

Many HIV advocates, myself included, are worried about the financial stability of the Texas HIV Medication Program. Other states are experiencing budget gaps and making life altering decisions to cut services to people living with HIV. We are seeing this in places like Florida and I don’t want similar cuts to come to Texas.
In the April medication advisory committee meeting, I planned on expressing these concerns during the public comment portion of the meeting. Unfortunately, it was unilaterally cancelled on short notice because a quorum of committee members could not be reached. However, we know the committee still could’ve met and heard public comment according to its bylaws.
It is unacceptable to wait 3 months until the next July meeting when, THMP is a vital program and if there is a potential for a financial shortfall we deserve to know. DSHS should continue to be in partnership with communities most impacted by the decisions that are made and give HIV advocates an opportunity to voice our concerns before the next scheduled July meeting.
[If you are a person living with HIV, particularly if you use the THMP program, share the impact that having access to your meds has had on your life and what it would mean if the program experienced budget shortfalls and had to remove folks from the program.]

CALL TO ACTION

Please tell [representative/senator/DSHS staff NAME] to stand up and tell DSHS to reschedule the Texas HIV Medication Program Medication Advisory Committee Meeting in May so that people living with HIV in Texas know they will have access to life saving medication through a stable, fully funded HIV medication program.

STEP THREE . Keep calling & sharing with your community. Sign up for updates for the Texas Strike Force to stay informed.

DSHS Administration Staff Contact Information

Dr. Jennifer Shuford, MD, Commissioner -- (512) 776-7363; Jennifer.Shuford@dshs.texas.gov
Imelda Garcia, MPH, Chief Deputy Commissioner -- (512) 776-2174; imeldam.garcia@dshs.texas.gov
Monica Gamez, Public Health Data Strategy and Modernization, Director -- Monica.Gamez@dshs.texas.gov