Subject: How much Ryan White money goes for HIV bowling, flirting classes?
From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 14 Aug 2000 23:20:31 EDT

August 14, 2000

Joseph F. O'Neill, MD, MPH
Administrator, HIV/AIDS Bureau
Health Resources and Services Administration
US Department of Health and Human Services
Rockville, MD 20857

RE: Ryan White CARE Act funds for bowling and flirting

Dear Dr. O'Neill:

The July 2000 calendar of events from the University of California at San 
Francisco's AIDS Health Project, UCSF AHP, lists an HIV bowling night and 
three series of workshops on flirting. Clients of AHP were provided a phone 
number to register for either the bowling night or flirting classes.

The AHP web site, www.ucsf-ahp.org, is where the following was posted. 
"Friday July 28, the REACH Workshop Series is proud to present the first of 
three workshops on the dating process. Start by learning the basics of 
flirting and how to have fun while sending the right message to the right 
guy. Come to this interactive workshop sponsored by the REACH Program for all 
interested gay and bisexual men regardless of HIV status, from 6:30 pm to 
9:00 pm at the AHP Services center, 1930 Market Street. Space is limited. To 
RSVP, call the AHP Events Line at 415-476-6448, ext. 1," stated the 
www.ucsf-ahp.org web site.

Here is the AHP site's listing for flirting classes. "Friday July 28, the 
REACH Workshop Series is proud to present the first of three workshops on the 
dating process. Start by learning the basics of flirting and how to have fun 
while sending the right message to the right guy. Come to this interactive 
workshop sponsored by the REACH Program for all interested gay and bisexual 
men regardless of HIV status, from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm at the AHP Services 
center, 1930 Market Street. Space is limited. To RSVP, call the AHP Events 
Line at 415-476-6448, ext. 1."

I would like to know exactly how much of the $977,701 Ryan White CARE Act 
contract with AHP was spent for bowling and flirting. Verification of the 
almost one million dollar Ryan White CARE Act award to AHP is provided at the 
bottom of this letter.

At a time when San Francisco is allegedly facing sub-Saharan African levels 
of HIV transmission, can you explain how these two functions qualify as 
direct health care services of a vital nature?

As you no doubt know, people living with HIV and AIDS in some states, 
Arkansas in particular, are in desperate need for anti-AIDS drugs. However, 
due to monetary shortages for states like Arkansas because San Francisco 
receives double the amount per AIDS patient than any other region, thousands 
of HIV-positive people languish on waiting lists for drugs and health care.

Is there any legitimate way you can justify appropriating federal funds for 
bowling nights and flirting courses for HIV positive gay men in San Francisco?

I look forward to a rapid reply by August 18. Thank you for your prompt 
attention to this letter.

Sincerely,
Michael Petrelis
 <A HREF="http://www.aids-statistics.com/">Welcome to AIDS-STATISTICS</A>
www.AIDS-statistics.com 
2215-R Market Street, #413
San Francisco, CA 94114

[The following is from the San Francisco Health Commission minutes of the 
March 7, 2000 meeting. Go to 
http://www.dph.sf.ca.us/HCMinutes/HCMin00/HCMin030700.htm , for the full 
minutes.]

(3.12) PHP-HIV Health Services - Request for approval of the FY 2000-2001 
Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency Act (CARE) of 1990 Title I, 
Title II and General Fund contracts for a combined total of $38,018,791 for 
the period of March 1, 2000 through February 28, 2001 for Title I funds, 
April 1, 2000 through March 31, 2001 for Title II funds and July 1, 2000 
through June 30, 2001 for General Fund programs with the following agencies: 

AIDS Emergency Fund $ 662,392  
AIDS Legal Referral Panel $ 200,952 
American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine $ 276,827 
Asian Pacific Islander Wellness Center $ 540,961 

Baker Places $ 177,000  
Bar Association of San Francisco $ 77,868  

Catholic Charities $ 159,815  
Chemical Awareness & Treatment Services, Inc. $ 594,042 
Community Dental Care, Inc. $ 651,429 
Compass Point Nonprofit Services (formerly The Support Center) $ 200,833 
Continuum HIV Day Services $ 993,516 

Dolores Street Community Services $ 184,273 

Family Support Services of the Bay Area $ 300,231  

Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinics, Inc. $1,005,557 

Immune Enhancement Project $ 223,668  
Instituto Familiar de la Raza $ 255,310 
Iris Center $ 150,000 

Legal Services for Children $ 190,915 
Lutheran Social Services $ 559,479 
Lyon Martin Women’s Health Services $ 381,727 

Maitri AIDS Hospice $ 981,880 
Marin County $1,501,296  
Mission Neighborhood Health Center $ 113,563 

New Leaf (mental health services) $ 147,212 

Positive Resource Center $ 498,455  
Project Open Hand $1,348,637 

Quan Yin Healing Arts Center $ 127,327 

Saint Mary’s Medical Center. $1,234,862 
San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium $ 341,042 
SFDPH Community Health Network -Forensics Services $ 356,524  
SFDPH Community Health Network -Health at Home $ 590,244 
SFDPH Community Health Network - Primary Care $2,709,422 
SFDPH Community Health Network -SFGH $2,229,052 
SFDPH Community Health Network-SFGH-Positive Health Pract. $ 144,784 
SFDPH Community Health Network-Tom Waddell $ 175,353 
SFDPH PHP Mental Health Services $ 288,234  
SFDPH PHP Public Health Laboratory  $ 58,560 
SFDPH PHP STD Services $ 176,929 
SFDPH PHP Substance Abuse Services $ 250,000  
SFDPH PHP Housing Services $ 8,704,836 
 Ark of Refuge, Inc - $ 282,480  
 Baker Places - $1,577,064  
 Black Coalition on AIDS – $ 373,912  
 Catholic Charities - $1,393,216  
 Larkin Street Youth Center - $ 643,357  
 Lutheran Social Services - $ 145,488  
 San Francisco AIDS Foundation - $4,213,562  
 Walden House - $ 75,757  

San Francisco Suicide Prevention $ 107,784  
San Mateo County $ 2,300,965 
Shanti Project $ 892,897 

Tenderloin AIDS Resource Center $ 349,962 

UCSF/AIDS Health Project $ 977,701 
UCSF/Center on Deafness $ 40,236 
UCSF/Pediatric AIDS Program $ 170,945  
UCSF/Substance Abuse Services $ 662,134 
UCSF/ Women’s Specialty Clinic $ 222,000  

University of the Pacific-School of Dentistry $ 543,600 
Urban Indian Health $ 72,780 

Walden House $ 1,699,928  
Westside Community Mental Health Services  $ 212,850 
 $38,018,791 

Michael Petrelis
 <A HREF="http://www.aids-statistics.com/">Welcome to AIDS-STATISTICS</A>
www.AIDS-statistics.com 
2215-R Market Street, #413
San Francisco, CA 94114