As we move out of World AIDS Day into 2026, HIV policy advocacy in North Carolina is more urgent than ever. Now is the time for concrete action!
Federal funding streams like the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program and state decisions around Medicaid or public health funding directly affect whether ASOs and community health clinics can keep their doors open.
“Across the state ASOs and community organizations are having to make incredibly difficult decisions about whether they can continue to operate with limited funds, especially in parts of the state with highest need,” Matt Martin (they/he), NCAAN’s Associate Director, said.
Especially in North Carolina, where 78/100 counties are rural, these programs are often the sole determinant of whether people can access HIV prevention, treatment, or care.
“Couple this with continued uncertainty around funding for HIV services and the devastating impact that HR 1 will inevitably have on Medicaid beneficiaries and we are looking at immense harm and loss of services for communities living with and impacted by HIV,” Martin continued.
Threats to HIV funding and infrastructure make NCAAN’s work critical. We want to remind you that ending the HIV epidemic isn’t something we can achieve quietly. It takes all of us joining together and fighting.
Every single person achieving viral suppression and every single clinic that opens is a result of decades of organizing and advocacy—from AIDS United to Act Up.
If there’s ever been a time, now is the time for advocates, providers, and everyone else who desires a caring and equitable world to join together and protect everything we’ve fought so hard for. In the coming weeks, we’ll be gearing up for our annual HIV Speaks on Jones Street and HIV Speaks on Gervais Streets.
These days of action are opportunities to bring lived experience directly to policymakers. It’s time for us to demand the resources our communities need to survive and thrive. We hope you’ll join us in the streets!
