bothersome budgets in the state of alabama

I found out today that the proposed budget for HIV/AIDS for the state of AL is significantly lower than what our health state muckity-muck official guy is recommending. The problem here is that it is also much lower than what is required for federal matching funds... meaning our federal dollars would be cut in half. Bad news for everyone. In theory the budget passed the senate today but it can still be changed before it is made final. I wrote an email and even called the office of a state senator. I hate phone calls like this because I am much more articulate in written form, but I called anyways because this is important. I was much more articulate in writing, but I made one guys phone ring one more time about this thing and maybe that will help.

If the budget isn't changed, I don't know what will happen to my job, but more importantly, I don't know what will happen to our clients. The people who handle most of the contracts for the provision of HIV services in this area seem to think it will mean waiting lists for meds and other programs for those who cannot afford basic needs like medications, dr appts, housing, etc. I would honestly give up my job if it meant that the money would go directly to the medication programs.

The "population" I work with is one of the most diverse and amazing I have ever had the privelege to work with and it would be a shame for any of them to be in ill health because of stupid money nonsense. People with HIVwho get on a good medication regimen and keep up with their healthcare, generally live a full life and have a full life span -- dr's in hiv are more worried now about aging than they ever have been. Most of the clients that I see in my office that have been in the hospital lately have been in due to surgery on a broken hip or due to cancer or something else completely unrelated to HIV. This honestly could change in this state if the budget stays the way it is. No good.