For Immediate Release
Release # 2007-115

New York City Council
City Hall, New York, NY 10007
(212) 788-7116/ City Council
212.788.3339/ HCC

November 30th, 2007

Speaker Quinn, NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation Announce HIV Testing Rates More Than Double in Public Hospitals
Council funding for routine rapid testing helps identify more HIV positive patients to care sooner

New York City, November 30, 2007 – In recognition of World AIDS Day, Speaker Quinn joined the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) today to announce that the City’s public hospitals had experienced a 116 percent increase in HIV screenings. Over the last three fiscal years, HIV screenings rose from 62,023 patients being tested to 134,000 patients being tested. The City Council continues to make HIV testing a priority by reallocating funding for HIV rapid testing in public hospitals.

“The HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to be one of the greatest health challenges facing our City. And providing resources for prevention has become a major priority for the City Council,” said Speaker Quinn. “Collaborating with numerous partners, like the Health and Hospitals Corporation, the Council has allocated approximately $13.4 million in this year's budget to support New York City's HIV/AIDS prevention programs. Today’s news about the increase in HIV testing rates is strong evidence that increased availability of HIV testing has been a significant tool for early detection and preventative care.”

“We’ve dramatically increased our HIV/AIDS screening by offering rapid tests in every emergency room, inpatient unit and in almost every type of clinic to every patient we treat - including teens and young adults- the age group where half of all new HIV infections occur,” said HHC President Alan D. Aviles.  “By making testing part of routine medical screening we can help overcome the stigmas and barriers that are associated with the disease and reach more New Yorkers who may be HIV positive and not know it. That is why we’ve committed to further expansion of our testing program to reach 150,000 more patients this fiscal year. ”

HHC’s program expansion has been greatly supported by more than $14.5 million allocated by the New York City Council since FY05. In this year’s budget alone, the Council allocated $5.6 million for HHC’s rapid testing program. The public hospital system has expanded rapid testing beyond AIDS clinics and prenatal centers, and now offers testing to patients who are hospitalized for any condition, to patients who are waiting in the emergency rooms for other care and in adolescent health, psychiatric and geriatric out-patient clinics. Rapid HIV testing provides residents with greater understanding of the disease and encourages New Yorkers to take steps to remain healthy and connected to care.

The Council allocated approximately $13.4 million in this year's budget for HIV/AIDS prevention programs across the City and also renewed HIV/AIDS outreach funding for community groups who primarily serve people of color.