Date: Wed, 23 Aug 1995 10:22:47 +0500
From: ghmcleaf{CONTRACTOR/ASPEN/ghmcleaf}%NAC-GATEWAY.ASPEN@ace.aspensys.com
Subject: HIV/AIDS Work Group On Health Care Acce



Title: HIV/AIDS Work Group On Health Care Access Issues For
Americans Indians/Alaska Natives
Author:   HEALTH RESOURCES AND SERVICES ADMINISTRATION
Date:          April 1992

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Bureau
of Health Resources Development (BHRD), sponsored a two day Work
Group on Barriers to HIV Care for American Indians and Alaska
Natives living with HIV disease.  Twenty-one American Indians and
Alaska Natives, as well as Federal representatives,  discussed
issues related to barriers of HIV/AIDS services to American
Indians and  Alaska Natives and strategies to reduce or eliminate
these barriers.  Several participants were people living with HIV
disease.

Work Group members were asked to help the Bureau to: (1)
understand issues related to American Indians and Alaska Natives'
access to HIV/AIDS care funded under the Ryan White Comprehensive
AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act; (2) propose and draft
evaluation study designs; and (3) identify areas for technical
assistance to improve the implementation of the CARE Act.

The Work Group identified these areas for proposed technical
assistance and evaluation studies:

     *    HIV/AIDS epidemic is only one of many serious health
          problems for American Indians.  To be credible, any
          response to AIDS must be  addressed within a larger
          context of public health issues.
     *    The sovereignty of First Nation peoples raises issues
          concerning State  versus Federal funding.
     *    For many American Indians, HIV/AIDS  is subordinate to
          issues such as food, housing, employment, and child or
          elder welfare.

The participants in the workshop formed four groups to develop
and recommend plans for education projects.  The report
summarizes the two days and the recommendations of the
participants.

For a copy of this report,  contact Ms. Vanessa Briggs, (301)
443-6563, Human Resources and Services Administration, 5600
Fishers Lane, Room 7A-07, Rockville, MD 20857.  Please include
your name, title, and mailing address, and a copy will be sent to
you.