RSS - Center for HIV Law and Policy

Does your U.S. Representative support the REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act?

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 12:44:39 -0500

In September 2011, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced the REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act, the first piece of federal legislation to take on the issue of HIV criminalization. The bill calls for review of all federal and state laws, policies, ...

Farber v. Jefferys, 2011 WL 5248207 (Nov. 2, 2011)

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 00:18:53 -0500

New York State Supreme Court Justice Louis B. York granted summary judgment in favor of Richard Jefferys, one of three defendants in a defamation lawsuit brought by Celia Farber, a journalist who has written numerous articles presenting in a favorable ...

Franklin Collection Service, Inc. v. Patty Kyle, 955 So.2d 284 (2007)

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 23:24:59 -0500

In this decision from the Supreme Court of Mississippi, the court lays out the perimeters for causes of action arising from disclosure of medical information. Patty Kyle had an unpaid medical bill that the medical service provider assigned to Franklin ...

New Documentary on Criminal Prosecutions for Failure to Disclose HIV Focuses ...

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:13:36 -0500

New Documentary on Criminal Prosecutions for Failure to Disclose HIV Focuses on the Impact on Women Contact: Beirne Roose-Snyder broose-snyder@hivlawandpolicy.org 212.430.6733 New York, February 1, 2012 â In the Life Media tonight will ...

Criminal prosecutions for HIV non-disclosure: two cases before the Supreme Co...

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:46:34 -0500

This note was written in anticipation of the February 8, 2012, arguments of two HIV non-disclosure cases before the Supreme Court of Canada. It offers fact summaries on both cases and explains the implications of the Court's decision on people ...

Briefing Note: Criminalizing non‐disclosure of HIV status, Ontario Work...

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:40:57 -0500

This briefing note provides an overview of HIV non-disclosure laws in Canada and recommendations for a different approach to the issue of HIV non-disclosure. It provides a brief history of HIV criminalization in Canada as well as a short overview of ...

Boyer v. Belleque, 2011 WL 5110120 (9th Cir. October 28, 2011)

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 22:32:55 -0500

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the denial by the U.S. District Court in Oregon of a petition for habeas corpus and found that the state court's determination that there was sufficient evidence to convict Andrew Lee Boyer of ...

U.S.-Based Advocacy Against HIV Criminalization: The Positive Justice Project...

Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:08:32 -0500

This slide presentation, presented on January 17, 2012 during the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Director's (NASTAD'S) Decriminalization Technical Assistance Webinar, summarizes the current use of criminal and civil commitment laws ...

The Center for HIV Law and Policy Releases First Set of Standards for the Sex...

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:49:35 -0500

Â CENTER FOR HIV LAW AND POLICY RELEASES FIRST SET OF STANDARDS FOR THE SEXUAL HEALTH CARE OF YOUTH IN DETENTION AND FOSTER CARE CENTERS Guidance Will Help State-Licensed Facilities Address Gap in Health Care Services For At-Risk Youth ...

Teen SENSE Model Staff Training Standards Focusing on the Needs of Youth in S...

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:56:24 -0500

The Teen SENSE Model Staff Training StandardsÂ Focusing on the Needs of Youth in State Custody are designed to ensure that all staff of foster care, detention, and other government operated and regulated youth facilities are equipped to understand ...

Teen SENSE Model Sexual Health Care Standards for Youth in State Custody, Cen...

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:53:58 -0500

The Teen SENSE Model Sexual Health Care Standards for Youth in State Custody are designed to reflect the minimum requirements that facilities should meet in order to appropriately address the sexual health care needs of youth in the state's care. ...

Teen SENSE Model Sexual Health Education Standards for Youth in State Custody...

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 10:50:18 -0500

The Teen SENSE Model Sexual Health Education Standards for Youth in State Custody are designed to reflect the minimum requirements of curricula that meet the sexual health knowledge needs of LGBTQ and heterosexual youth in out-of-home custody. The ...

Submit Comments to HHS on the Essential Health Benefits (EHB) Bulletin by Jan...

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:30:36 -0500

The HIV Health Care Access Working Group (HHCAWG) encourages organizations and individuals to submit comments to Health and Human Services on its Essential Health Benefits (EHB) bulletin by January 31, 2012. The EHB bulletin outlines what health ...

Obama Administration Ensures Near-Universal Access to Contraceptive Coverage

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:59:49 -0500

Today brings great news for health care access and women's health. From ThinkProgress: "Today, in a huge victory for women's health, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced that most employers will be required to cover ...

Efficacy of Behavioral Interventions to Increase Condom Use and Reduce Sexual...

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:36:18 -0500

Researchers at The Miriam Hospital's Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine and the University of Connecticut released a report last month demonstrating that behavioral interventions aimed at reducing "sexual risk behaviors," such as ...

The Center for HIV Law and Policy Joins U.S. Supreme Court Brief in Support o...

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:40:35 -0500

The Center for HIV Law and Policy Joins U.S. Supreme Court Brief in Support of Affordable Care Act Brief filed today in U.S. Supreme Court Contact: Catherine Hanssens, 347.622.1400 chanssens@hivlawandpolicy.org Seth M. Marnin, ...

Department of Health and Human Services v. State of Florida - Amicus Brief, S...

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 15:57:50 -0500

In March 2010, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as the ACA, was signed into law. The law reforms aspects of the private health insurance industry and expands access to health insurance for millions of ...

Understanding State Departments of Health and Corrections Collaboration: A Su...

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:45:14 -0500

This report by Positive Justice Project member NASTAD provides a summary of health departments' relationships with state departments of corrections (DOC) regarding prevention, care and treatment of HIV and viral hepatitis in state correctional ...

PJP in the News: Critics assail crime laws aimed at people with HIV

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 14:26:54 -0500

"These laws are archaic. They're criminalizing a population of people who should not be criminalized," said Representative Barbara Lee, D-CA, in an Associated Press article yesterday. CHLP Executive Director Catherine Hanssens blames the longevity of ...

Understanding State Departments of Health and Corrections Collaboration: A Su...

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 22:50:55 -0500

This report by Positive Justice Project member NASTAD provides a summary of health departments' awareness of any policies and practices that unjustly sanction persons living with HIV/AIDS by criminalizing exposure and/or transmission. The survey ...

New York Citys Initiatives on Diabetes and HIV/AIDS: Implications for Patien...

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 22:33:09 -0500

(The following summary is excerpted in part from the article's abstract): "Two recent [at article's publication] New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene initiatives expanded the mission and scope of public health, with implications for ...

Moving Forward, Getting to Zero: the AIDS Crisis After 30 Years

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:51:56 -0500

This Thursday, December 8, the Stonewall Policy Alliance and NYU Wagner will be hosting an event called "Moving Forward, Getting to Zero: the AIDS Crisis after 30 Years" from 5:00-7:00 PM. The event will feature a panel discussion among experts and ...

We Have a Long Way to Go For Zero Discrimination

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:57:11 -0500

On the eve of this year's World AIDS Day, which had a theme of "Getting to Zero: Zero New HIV Infections. Zero Discrimination and Zero AIDS Deaths," we were contacted about the latest sad story of what people with HIV still have to deal with. The ...

Milton Hershey School v. Jane Doe and John Doe, Draft Complaint for Declarato...

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:45:30 -0500

This is a draft filing for declaratory judgment, recieved by CHLP from a reporter, by the Milton Hershey School (a private residential school in Hershey, PA), seeking a declaration that the school is not obligated under the ADA to admit a minor child ...

Smith v. Milton Hershey School, Complaint, U.S. District Court for the Easter...

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:56:21 -0500

This complaint was filed November 30, 2011 by the AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania, alleging that the Milton Hershey School in Hershey, Pa. has violated multiple anti-discrimination laws by refusing to enroll a 13-year-old pupil because he has HIV. ...

HIV Discrimination in Dental Care: Results of a Discrimination Testing Study ...

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 14:16:35 -0500

This study measured the level of HIV-related discrimination among dentists in Los Angeles County. Researchers from the Williams Institute contacted 612 dentists' offices in 2007 and 2008 to assess their policies regarding treatment of people ...

Letter to President Obama for World AIDS Day 2011

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:45:33 -0500

Leading HIV organizations in the U.S. sent a letter to President Obama today about the speech he will deliver on World AIDS Day, December 1st. The 2011 World AIDS Day theme is "Getting to Zero" -- zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination, and zero ...

Letter to President Obama on World AIDS Day 2011

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:44:12 -0500

Chart: HIV and Chronic Disease in the United States, Center for HIV Law and P...

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:36:41 -0500

This chart presents data on the prevalence, impact and treatment of HIV infection with parallel data on chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and Hepatitis C. This chart allows for the comparison of HIV to other chronic diseases ...

Chart: HIV, STIs and Relative Risks in the United States, Center for HIV Law ...

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:32:25 -0500

This chart presents data comparing HIV infection to other sexually transmitted infections. These data illustrate that other sexually transmitted infections can pose similar, and sometimes equally great or greater, risks than HIV. Herpes simplex virus ...

Lets Talk About Sex And The City

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:53:46 -0500

There is a lot going on in New York right now, and I'm not talking about the Wall Street protests. In August of this year, the New York City government announced a mandate in which schools are required to teach a semester of comprehensive ...

Positive Justice Project at the USCA

Thu, 03 Nov 2011 12:09:03 -0400

The Positive Justice Project is convening a pre-USCA session on HIV criminalization entitled, "When Sex is a Crime and Spit a Dangerous Weapon: Defending Against HIV Criminal Laws" on Wednesday, November 9, shortly before the opening sessions of the ...

Positive Justice Project at the USCA

Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:25:30 -0400

Sample free refreshments while hearing from Chicago activists on local implications of HIV criminalization. The Positive Justice Project is convening a pre-USCA session on HIV criminalization entitled, "When Sex is a Crime and Spit a Dangerous ...

Teenagers in the United States: Sexual activity, contraceptive use, and child...

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:24:49 -0400

This report provides data on sexual activity, contraceptive use, and experiences with childbearing of young women and men ages 15-19 in the United States between 2006-2010. The purpose of the report is to chart trends in these categories using data ...

Canal Side Care Manor v. Pa. Human Relations Commn, 2011 WL 4986670 (Pa. Com...

Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:15:47 -0400

In this opinion, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania affirmed a ruling by the state's Human Relations Commission (Commission) that the plaintiff had been unlawfully discriminated against after she was expelled from housing in a personal care ...

When "No" Means "Yes" and "Yes" Means Harm: HIV Risk, Consent and Sadomasochi...

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:38:39 -0400

This article discusses the criminalization in England of same-sex, sadomasochistic (s and m) behavior. The author also explores how violence and HIV are readily associated with homosexual, but not heterosexual, s and m behavior, as well as the ...

Right to Health Litigation and HIV/AIDS Policy, Benjamin Mason Meier and Alic...

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 15:02:40 -0400

This article outlines the developing interaction between human rights litigation and HIV/AIDS policy. Specifically, the authors discuss the progression in different countries of using litigation to further individual health needs and to hold ...

Congresswoman Barbara Lee's One-Two Punch on HIV Criminalization

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 11:53:17 -0400

On Thursday, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) sent a letter to President Obama calling for a renewed effort to reduce HIV transmission and expand access to care. In the letter, Congresswoman Lee made three requests; 1) for President Obama to announce ...

Hormonal Contraception and HIV: Weighing the Evidence and Balancing the Risks

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:03:09 -0400

by Jodi Jacobson, Editor-in-Chief, RH Reality Check Originally published at RH Reality Check An article in Tuesday's New York Times by Pam Belluck suggesting that injectable contraceptive use might double the risk of HIV transmission among women and ...

Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance releases The State of Sexual Freedom in the ...

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 10:36:50 -0400

Woodhull Sexual Freedom Alliance, a non-profit organization whose mission is to affirm sexual freedom as a fundamental human right, released The State of Sexual Freedom in the United States, 2011 Report a few days ago. This annual report provides an ...

Why Federal Legislation Matters: The REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:19:04 -0400

Last Friday, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) introduced H.R. 3053, the REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act, which calls for review of all federal and state laws, policies, and regulations regarding the criminal prosecution of individuals for HIV-related ...

Positive Justice Project Members Endorse REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 17:33:18 -0400

Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Contact: Catherine Hanssens, 347.622.1400 chanssens@hivlawandpolicy.org William McColl, 202.408.4848, ext ...

CHLP participates in the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Legis...

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 12:12:05 -0400

On Friday September 23rd, as part of the 41st Annual Legislative Conference, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation (CBCF) will hold a panel discussion on "HIV Criminalization- Why It Should Matter to You". Speakers will include the Honorable ...

CHLP Partners with Hetrick Martin Institute

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:05:48 -0400

by RenÃ© Bennett-Carlson, Managing Attorney Summer 2011 brought not only continuing progress with our work on behalf of LGBT youth in out-of-home care but also an exciting new partnership for CHLP with the legendary Hetrick Martin Institute ...

CHLP Welcomes New Volunteers!

Mon, 15 Aug 2011 13:51:51 -0400

CHLP is happy to welcome two new volunteer attorneys to the organization: Jeffrey Sallot graduated from Tulane Law School in 2011. Prior to law school, he had a long and active career in health care. As a nurse, Jeffrey coordinated care for sick and ...

Two big leaps forward in the movement to end HIV criminalization

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 18:29:14 -0400

Thanks to our quick work this week, the Presidental Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS' (PACHA's) first annual letters to President Obama and to HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius on National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) priorities include vital language regarding ...

Disability Does Not Mean Inability to Get HIV

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 13:43:26 -0400

By Hannah Slater, CHLP Intern and Heather Heldman, CHLP Program Associate Winston Zulu, an advisor for AIDS-Free World and the coordinator of Health Triangle Zambia, has used crutches ever since he survived polio as a child. He is also HIV positive. ...

Center for HIV Law and Policy Releases New Resources onHIV Science and Poli...

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 10:49:03 -0400

New York, NY: The Center for HIV Law and Policy (CHLP) has released two new resources to support lawyers and advocates working on HIV legal policy. Transmission Routes, Viral Loads and Relative Risks: The Science of HIV for Lawyers and Advocates ...

Lambda Legal and Partners Send DHS Letter on Rights of LGBT and HIV Positive ...

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:52:01 -0400

On June 8, 2011, Lambda Legal, on behalf of a coalition including CHLP, submitted a letter in support of civil rights complaints filed by the National Immigrant Justice Center to the Department of Homeland Security. The letter expresses serious ...

CHLP Advisory Board Member Hadiyah Charles Named Champion of Change at the Wh...

Thu, 09 Jun 2011 16:44:16 -0400

The Center for HIV Law and Policy's Advisory Board Member Hadiyah Charles has been named one of the White HouseÂ Champions of Change this week. Hadiyah was recognized for her community contributions as an advocate for HIV-positive African-American ...