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August 25, 2005
Prison Break: Illinois Gets Serious About HIV
by Staff
Thursday, August 25, 2005—Prisoners in the state of Illinois won access this week to HIV testing and help finding treatment and support when they are released, thanks to a bill signed into law by Gov. Rod Blagojevich that targets African-Americans. Chicago AIDS activists worked long and hard with
legislators for passage of the law, the African-American HIV/AIDS Response Act.
It commits the state to offer HIV tests to all Illinois prisoners—65%
are black—when they’re first behind bars, during their stay and before
they are released. Positive ex-prisoners will get help finding
treatment and support on the outside. "We wish that condom distribution
were still part of the act—but there's no funding to pay for it yet,"
Rev. Doris Green, director of community affairs at AIDS Foundation of
Chicago, told POZ. "We’re hoping that the law will bring higher awareness in the African-American community."
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