Policy Brief

Policy Brief Examining PrEP Uptake among Medi-Cal Beneficiaries in California: Differences by Age, Gender, Race/Ethnicity and Geographic Region February 5, 2018 Despite large increases in PrEP use across California, there are sharp differences in uptake by age, gender, race/ethnicity and geographic region among Medi-Cal beneficiaries. DOWNLOAD Authors Southern California HIV/AIDS Policy Research Center Background California […]

Policy Brief Financial Assistance for PrEP September 20, 2017 To improve accessibility of PrEP services, the California Department of Public Health has been authorized to develop a PrEP financial assistance program that will be modeled after the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP). We conducted a study of the current ADAP enrollment system to identify best […]

Policy Brief Social Security Changes HIV Disability Rules and Institutes Periodic Reviews of HIV Claims July 5, 2017 The California HIV/AIDS Policy Research Centers are pleased to post this update on Social Security disability benefits, including the revised medical listings for HIV-related disabilities as well as the agency’s intent to now conduct Continuing Disability Reviews […]

Policy Brief AB1534 Would Allow HIV Specialists to Serve as Primary Care Providers, Potentially Increasing Preventive Care and Screening for People Living with HIV April 14, 2017 A bill recently introduced in the California legislature (AB1534) seeks to better integrate HIV treatment with primary care by requiring state-regulated health insurance plans to permit HIV specialists […]

Policy Brief Essential Health Benefits for Behavioral Health: Impact for Medi-Cal Recipients Living with HIV in California March 22, 2017 The Essential Health Benefits (EHBs) are 10 categories of health services that insurance plans must cover. This brief report highlights how the Affordable Care Act, specifically in its provision for EHBs, has improved coverage of […]

Policy Brief Use of HIV Set-Aside Funding from the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Block Grant in California March 13, 2017 This study explored how a sample of California counties previously used the HIV Set-Aside of the SAPT Block Grant, which contributed over $12 million statewide to HIV early intervention services and hepatitis C […]

Policy Brief New Fact Sheet Shows Women and People of Color Disproportionately Impacted by California’s HIV Criminalization Laws February 10, 2017 This week, Senator Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) and Assemblymember Todd Gloria (D-San Diego) introduced Senate Bill 239, a bill to modernize laws that criminalize people living with HIV. DOWNLOAD Authors Southern California HIV/AIDS Policy […]

Policy Brief Private health insurance available through Covered California Could Cost More Than Some People Living with HIV/AIDS Can Afford September 1, 2013 Over 5,500 Californians living with HIV/AIDS access medical care and drug treatment at little or no cost through the Ryan White Program. They will be newly-eligible for coverage offered through California’s health […]

Policy Brief Proposal to Mandate Condom Distribution in Prisons Would Reduce Correctional Facility Costs for Inmate Health Care in California June 1, 2013 In response to a newly released report on the pilot program that evaluated condoms distribution in one of the four Solano State Prison facilities, California Assembly Member Rob Bonta recently proposed AB999, […]

Policy Brief HIV and Incarceration: Reviewing the Policy Issues September 1, 2012 Among the most glaring health disparities in California is the disproportionate prevalence of HIV among individuals in the correctional system. These individuals are also disproportionately African-American and Latino and many experience repeated arrests and releases over their lifetimes. Interventions carried out during incarceration […]