Join CAEAR Coalition

Mission

CAEAR Coalition is a national membership organization which advocates for federal appropriations, legislation, policy and regulations to meet the care, treatment, support service and prevention needs of people living with HIV/AIDS and the organizations that serve them. CAEAR Coalition's proactive national leadership is focused on the Ryan White legislation as a central part of the nation's response to HIV/AIDS.

CAEAR Coalition members include

• Part A grantees
• Part A planning councils
• Part A & Part B sub-grantees
• Part C grantees
• National partners
• Recipients of Ryan White services

A Leader in Ryan White Reauthorization

• Membership-driven development of policy recommendations
• Comprehensive analysis of Ryan White funding
• Convening of national partners to form the Ryan White Legislative Group to build a unified voice on the Hill
• Development of bill language based on Legislative Group’s policy recommendations
• Engagement of key Hill staff
• Detailed response to draft legislation
• Constituent visits to key members of Congress
• Advocacy to ensure provisions are enacted fairly and with a minimum care disruption to

Member Benefits

• Professional government affairs representation in Washington
• A seat at the table when priorities for Ryan White Program advocacy are set
• Participation in quarterly Capitol Hill advocacy visits with members of Congress
• Meetings with Administration officials at the White House, Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
• Up-to-date Ryan White Program information through action alerts, updates, and newsletters
• Representation of Ryan White Program interests in other HIV/AIDS coalitions such as the Federal AIDS Policy Partnership
• Access to members-only section of the CAEAR Coalition web site
• The opportunity to network and receive peer TA from counterparts across the country

What We Do

Advocating for a Strong National Response to HIV/AIDS

The CAEAR Coalition was formed in the early 1990's by representatives of the initial 16 CARE Act Title I cities, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington. In 1997, the CAEAR Coalition and the National Title III Coalition joined forces to provide coordinated national advocacy for Title I and Title III resources and in 2003 CAEAR Coalition began its advocacy for Title II/ADAP. The CAEAR Coalition incorporated in 1999 and is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Service code.

Grassroots Mobilization and Strong Washington Presence

During each federal funding cycle, the CAEAR Coalition advocates on behalf of people living with HIV/AIDS for adequate Federal funding for the Ryan White Program with a focus on Part A, Part B/ADAP, Part C and Part F AETCs. During Congressional reauthorization of the Ryan White Program, the CAEAR Coalition works with Congress to ensure that the program continues to meet the needs of individuals and communities impacted by HIV/AIDS. To accomplish these goals, the CAEAR Coalition mobilizes communities to advocate for the Ryan White Program with their elected representatives in Washington and works closely with members of Congress, their staffs and Administration officials.

Ryan White Program Funding: Successes and Challenges

In the time that the CAEAR Coalition has advocated for Part A, appropriations for Part A have increased from $88 million to over $600 million. Since 1997, when the CAEAR Coalition and the National Title III Coalition joined forces, appropriations for Part C have risen from $76 million to almost $200 million.

Despite these successes, advocating for adequate funding for HIV/AIDS services has become increasingly challenging. Competing budgetary pressures, including the “war against terrorism” and ballooning federal budget deficits make the work of the CAEAR Coalition even more important. The CAEAR Coalition is communicating to legislators and other policy makers that critical HIV/AIDS programs like the CARE Act must not be forgotten in these times.