SJ0016 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SJ0016 LRB101 09067 MST 54160 r

SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, February 7, 2019 is the 19th year of commemoration and observance of National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day; and

WHEREAS, This observance is a nationwide effort to mobilize Black communities to get educated, tested, treated, and involved with their local HIV/AIDS community efforts; and

WHEREAS, National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day is directed, planned, and strategically overseen by a Strategic Leadership Council (SLC) made up of prominent organizations, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), to mobilize community-based organizations and stakeholders involved in HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment; and

WHEREAS, Even though the number of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses has declined significantly since 2008, Blacks are the racial/ethnic group most disproportionately affected by the virus and account for 44 percent of all HIV infections in the United States, even though they make up only 12 percent of the U.S. population; and

WHEREAS, More than half (53 percent) of all Blacks who received an HIV diagnosis in 2017 were gay or bisexual men; and

WHEREAS, In 2017, 330 Blacks died of HIV disease, accounting for 59 percent of total deaths from HIV that year in the U.S.; and

WHEREAS, In 2017, Illinois ranked sixth for estimated number of AIDS cases and had the seventh highest number of diagnosed HIV infections, with 38,564 people living with HIV, of which 46 percent were Black even though they make up only 14.1 percent of the population; and

WHEREAS, In 2017 in Illinois, Black males made up 33 percent of all diagnoses among all racial/ethnic groups, and Black females made up 12 percent of all diagnoses among racial/ethnic groups; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Public Health supports and the Getting to Zero strategy to address racial disparities and end HIV transmission in Illinois by 2030 and promotes the Text2Survive text messaging program to increase access to affordable, culturally appropriate testing and care services; and

WHEREAS, The Illinois Department of Public Health Center for Minority Health Services and HIV/AIDS Section along with its community partners are hosting community events throughout the state to recognize this day and its importance to Blacks and all concerned citizens; and

WHEREAS, It is fitting that we join with these local, national, and international groups to express our strong support for National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and the initiatives to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS in Black communities and provide access to and utilization of HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and support services to those affected by HIV/AIDS; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we declare February 7, 2019 as Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That local residents are encouraged to support this day and participate in events, trainings, and other planned activities to commemorate the occasion, as community involvement is crucial to eliminating stigma, debunking myths, promoting awareness and education, increasing access to HIV testing, and eradicating of the HIV virus.