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State HIV/AIDS service providers loath to chide Clinton; say
welfare cuts will not harm Oregonians who have the disease
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by Inga Sorensen
leading state HIV/AIDS official says
he expects that the federal welfare
reform measure recently signed into
law by President Clinton will have
little direct impact on the majority of
Oregonians living with HIV and AIDS.
“This law does not affect Ryan White fund
ing [the largest federal funding source for HIV/
AIDS services] or spending for HIV/AIDS pre
vention services,” says Robert McAlister, Ph.D.,
program m anager for the O regon Health
Division’s HIV Program. “Those critical fund
ing sources are untouched by this.”
As the bill wended its way through a tumul
tuous legislative process a few weeks ago, oppo
nents, including advocates for the poor, women’s
groups and others, launched a campaign against
it.
The Washington, D.C.-based National Gay
and Lesbian Task Force and National Associa
tion for People with AIDS issued “activist alerts”
urging the public to contact congressional repre
sentatives and the president— via fax, letter,
phone call or e-mail—to voice opposition to the
proposal.
The controversial measure ultimately passed
and was signed into law on Aug. 22.
It ends a federal guarantee of open-ended
assistance to the poor while promising to save
taxpayers an estimated $54 billion over a six-
year period. The law sets a lifetime limit of five
years of welfare per family and requires an able-
bodied adult to work after two years on welfare.
It does, however, allow for hardship exemptions
for as much as 20 percent of the caseload. Under
the measure, states would receive block grants to
run the programs and set most of the rules.
The law protects federal waivers involving
states’ efforts toward welfare reform. Oregon
has received federal waivers to implement re
forms including the right to convert Aid to Fami
lies with Dependent Children and food stamp
benefits into cash which in turn will be used to
reimburse businesses that provide training and
employment lasting at least six months for Jobs
Plus applicants. The reform is designed to get
people off welfare and into the workforce.
The law is not expected to affect the Oregon
Health Plan, which provides access to health
care for low-income Oregonians.
“Many people who need HIV/AIDS services
are drawing on Social Security disability retire
A
ment benefits,” says Tom Richardson, coordina
tor of AIDS Hotline/Oregon, which fields public
inquiries dealing with a host of HIV/AIDS is
sues.
Richardson says the hot line has received no
calls from people inquiring about the potential
effects of the welfare reform law.
He says in many cases people with HIV are
healthy and still able to work. If their condition
deteriorates, he says, they will likely qualify for
assistance not affected by the new law.
“This bill doesn’t target disabled adults, but
rather healthy people who can work,” Richardson
says.
Given that, McAlister wonders why an AIDS-
related organization like NAPWA would issue
an urgent bulletin (which his office received)
calling upon recipients to contact the president.
“The president has shown himself to be a real
friend when it comes to HIV/AIDS issues. Quite
honestly, I don’t think it’s our place to attack the
president on something like welfare reform,” he
says.
Richardson echoes the sentiment. “I think we
have to pick our battles wisely,” he says. “Nev
ertheless, I think it’s unfortunate that this mea
sure will adversely impact many people, par
ticularly because there is no transition period.
Their assistance will simply be cut off after a
certain deadline.”
For its part, NAPWA says its activist alert
reflects the organization’s belief in the need to
create coalitions and band with those in need,
some of whom may in some way be grappling
with HIV and AIDS.
“We think it’s important to take a stand
against a measure which will severely hurt chil
dren and poor people. It strips benefits from
legal immigrants who have lived and worked
here and paid their taxes. It will plunge thou
sands of the most vulnerable populations into
poverty. These too are our issu es,” says
NAPWA’s Jeffrey Crowley.
The bill, which takes effect July l , 1997, also
eliminates federal benefits for most noncitizens,
except in cases involving communicable dis
eases and certain emergencies; extends Medic
aid coverage for one year after a person leaves
welfare; reduces food stamp eligibility for adults
without dependents; and denies food stamp and
welfare benefits to anyone convicted of felony
drug charges.
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Garvey clears grand jury
A grand jury recently decided that Portland
Police Bureau commander Mike Garvey, 42,
should not face criminal charges for allegedly
hiring a male prostitute in 1994 via an area escort
service.
Despite the grand jury’s decision, Garvey, a
20-year police veteran, faces an internal police
investigation into whether he violated the bureau’s
code of conduct, which dictates that an officer
may be terminated for using a prostitute.
Garvey, who is gay, has been the focus of a
four-month investigation by police and the
Multnomah County district attorney’s office.
A few months ago he was placed on adminis
trative leave and removed from his post as com
mander of Central Precinct, the Portland Police
Bureau’s largest precinct.
Police investigators have reportedly journeyed
Reported by Inga Sorensen
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to three states seek
ing information in
the case.
After hearing
evidence involv
ing the prostitu
tion allegations,
a
M ultnom ah
County grand jury
reportedly voted
6-l against bring-
ingcharges against
Garvey.
U nder state
law, prostitution is
Cmdr. Mike Garvey
punishable by up
to one year in prison and a $5,000 fine. There is a
two-year statute of limitation in such cases.
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