A new patient assistance program offered through the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) was developed because government funding for HCV medicines is in crisis.

Patients currently benefiting from the state-administered AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) now have access to a national program that provides free medicine for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C. Under the new initiative, known as the Commitment to Community program, a full course of combination therapy will be available for free to 1,500 ADAP patients chronically infected with hepatitis C.

“With current ADAP funding falling far short of meeting the demand of patients in need, this initiative will yield significant savings to a system in crisis and help bring measurable relief to ADAP programs nationwide,” said Julie Scofield, NASTAD’s executive director. “Providing treatment for hepatitis C through ADAPs adds an additional financial burden for many state ADAPs.”

Additionally hepatitis C patients covered by ADAP will have access to a personalized patient support program called Be in Charge, which offers 24-hour a day toll-free telephone access to a nurse counselor and other educational tools seven days a week.

Call (800) 521-7157 for further information about the programs.

The Center’s Health Services Department has started a new cycle of its workshop for same-sex male couples of differing HIV status. This workshop is also open to single individuals considering a partner with an HIV status different from their own, or for couples who have newly-begun such a relationship. The workshop cycle takes place on Fridays from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Center’s Health Services, located at 2313 El Cajon Blvd.

“An important goal of this workshop is to help participants explore the complexities of being a part of mixed-status couple while promoting a further understanding of the experiences and realities each partner faces in the relationship,” said Carlos H. Morales, staff counselor with The Center. “The workshop aims to provide couples and singles with tools to achieve greater communication and enjoyment of their relationships. We hope to provide more people with the opportunity to participate in this important group.”

Fees for the workshop will be on a donation basis and some requirements apply.

For more information or to register,

contact Carlos Morales at (619) 260-6380 ext. 116 or cmorales@thecentersd.org.

An ongoing counseling support program for both men and women who use crystal meth is available through marriage and family therapist intern Tom Wall and First Avenue Counseling Centre. The program offers an alternative harm-reduction approach for current substance users who have not been successful with other intervention options. Though abstinence is the eventual goal, the program is designed to meet crystal meth users where they are at without stigma or shame.

The program offers one-on-one counseling support for both men and women as well as a group called Lifestyles in Transition for gay and bisexual men who use crystal meth.

For more information about the group or about individual counseling, contact Tom

Wall, Marriage and Family Therapist Intern #43024 (Supervised by Daniel

Carr MFCC #31037) at (619) 708-7126 or tom@livecompassion.com.

Fraternity House, Inc., San Diego’s only long-term residential care facility provider for men and women living with HIV and AIDS, is seeking individuals, teams and families to participate in their annual fundraising walk by the seaside. Michaelle’s Walk, takes place Saturday, June 11, at Magee Park in Carlsbad.

Michaelle Liddell was the first woman in San Diego to speak out about her HIV status and become an AIDS activist. Each year Michaelle’s Walk celebrates the memory of Michelle and countless other loved-ones lost to AIDS, and raises funds for the only two licensed homes dedicated to serving men and women living with AIDS in San Diego County – Fraternity House in Escondido, and Michaelle House in Vista.

Registration begins at 10:00 a.m., and the walk begins at 11:00 a.m. Less than five miles long, the walk ends with a picnic featuring live music and kids’ activities.

Magee Park is located at 258 Beech Ave.

For more information, contact Abby Schwartz, development manager, at

(760) 736-0292 ext.103

or ALSfraternityhouse@prodigy.net.

Officials of the American Medical Association (AMA) emerged from a meeting with the Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA) on Saturday, March 12, with a commitment to fully include the health concerns of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans in the AMA’s ongoing work to eliminate health disparities.

AMA leadership said it will seek to expand the scope and focus of the Commission to End Health Care Disparities launched earlier this year. The scope of the commission has been focused primarily on addressing disparities based on race and ethnicity. GLMA asked the AMA to help expand the scope of the commission to include disparities experienced by GLBT people.

“It’s good science, good policy and a matter of basic fairness to ensure that in prevention and treatment of disease and in health research and education, GLBT people are in the mix as much as any other group that experiences disparities,” said AMA President John C. Nelson.

In 2004, the AMA House of Delegates approved an advisory committee to address GLBT concerns. The new seven-member Advisory Committee on GLBT Concerns will be announced shortly. GLMA will be represented on the committee.

“With the creation of our new Advisory Committee on GLBT Concerns, the AMA is demonstrating its commitment to full inclusion of GLBT people in all our work,” Nelson added.

Join the National Center for Lesbian Rights for hors d’oeuvres and cocktails from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Saturday, March 26, at the Riviera Hotel in Palm Springs during Dinah Shore Weekend. Comedian Georgia Ragsdale will performs and NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell will speak. Tickets are $50 per person and proceeds support NCLR’s legal advocacy in all 50 states.

Contact Ruth Herring at Herring@nclrights.org or (415) 392-6257 ext. 302 for more information.

Shoppers at Ralphs and Food 4 Less supermarkets can earmark a portion of their purchases to benefit Special Delivery San Diego when they use their club card.

Special Delivery Executive Director Ruth Henricks said interested individuals should email or call Special Delivery providing their full name, address, phone number and 13-digit club card number, which is located on the back of each card. Those who do not know their card number can retrieve the number when it prints out on their receipt after checkout.

Those who are not currently a club card member can obtain a card by going to the customer service desk at any Ralphs or Food 4 Less.

Special Delivery will receive a check every fiscal quarter for a percentage of all participants’ purchases.

“We encourage all Ralphs and Food 4 Less shoppers to contact us with their card information because funding we’ll receive will enable us to continue our work of providing home-delivered, nutritious food to 350 men, women and children with AIDS in San Diego County,” Henricks said.

For more information or for volunteer opportunities, call Special Delivery at (619) 297-7373 or email specialdeliverysd@hotmail.com.