Improving the Lives of AIDS Victims by Caring, Helping

In response to the Commentary “Without an AIDS Anti-Bias Law, Message Is: We Don’t Care” (Jan. 13): I am writing on behalf of the AIDS Coalition to Identify Orange County Needs (Action), an organization that has been involved in AIDS issues for six years.

Action serves as a forum for all persons concerned with the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Orange County, more than 120 members representing 35 agencies, from both the public and private sectors, which provide education, prevention, direct services, support services, mental health services and research.

We recently held a series of town hall meetings to identify Orange County needs, and we continue to note that discrimination exists. Only one skilled nursing facility in Orange County will provide care for HIV-infected individuals, and hospice care, inpatient mental health care, board and care and even physicians willing to provide basic medical care are difficult to find.

Orange County reports 30 newly identified AIDS patients a month, and the number of women affected is up 29%. I recently met with a woman who became infected through heterosexual contact and is terrified of telling family, friends and employer. Having a disease that destroys the body and affects the brain is bad enough, but to have no support system, no loving friends and family to be there is devastating.

We have the chance to improve the lives of many Orange County residents and ensure equal, not different or more, rights to our HIV/AIDS persons. I sincerely ask the Board of Supervisors to reconsider the Anti-Discrimination Ordinance and provide a leadership role to the cities of Orange County.

By the way, there is no fiscal impact.

PEARL JEMISON-SMITH, Action Chairwoman, Irvine