America Living With AIDS

AMERICA Living

short-term and long-term housing with necessary support services. State legislation should
encourage flexibility in developing alternative housing and residential settings. Localities need
to address the "not-in-my-backyard" syndrome related to shelters and residencies, and work
closely with neighborhood groups.
8. Federal, state and local governments and community-based agencies need to develop more
effective partnerships in HIV prevention, education and information. The Working Group
believes that federal restrictions on the use of education and prevention funds is counterproductive and prolongs the HIV epidemic. Restrictive legislative language appears to hinder states
and localities and community-based agencies in providing the prevention message in ways that
would reduce individual risk and limit the spread of HIV infection. Therefore, while states and
localities should be accountable for the federal funds they receive, the use of these dollars for
education and prevention programs should be flexible. Evaluation of these programs to determine what approaches work best is essential and these programs should be innovative, creative,
and culturally respectful. Finally, since community-based organizations are at the heart of HIV
education efforts, these agencies should be supported by all levels of government, including the
provision of support for education and training of agency staff and organizational development
assistance.
9. The Working Group identified substance abuse prevention and treatment as a priority area
but time did not permit specific recommendations to be made. The Working Group recommends that the full Commission address this issue.

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