IL HR0060

Designates February 7, 2017 as National African-American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day in Illinois and encourages residents to participate in commemorative events

African-Americans account for 44% of people living with HIV nationally despite representing 12% of the U.S. population; nearly 43,000 Illinois residents are living with HIV, with 51% of newly diagnosed cases being African-American

Young African-American gay men under 30 in Chicago have infection rates three times greater than white counterparts; at current rates, 1 in 4 gay African-American men will be HIV-positive by age 25 and 1 in 2 by age 35

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) medication has greater than 90% effectiveness in preventing HIV infection but awareness and access remain low in vulnerable communities; fewer than half of HIV-positive African-Americans receive antiretroviral therapy

Calls for support of initiatives to prevent HIV/AIDS in African-American communities and provide access to prevention, treatment, and support services