CHLP Releases Primer Addressing Legal Issues Facing People Living and Aging with HIV

CHLP Releases Legal Primer Addressing Legal Issues Facing People Living and Aging with HIV

“Aging & HIV” centers the lived experiences of people living and aging with HIV and explores areas of the law and barriers to aging with dignity

(NEW YORK) -- CHLP announces publication of Aging & HIV legal primer exploring the legal issues facing People Living and Aging with HIV (PLAHIV). Authored by CHLP Staff Attorney Kae Greenberg, the primer addresses the issues facing the rapidly expanding population of older Americans living with HIV. 

By the year 2030, 70% of people living with HIV are projected to be over the age of 50, but the country’s social services and healthcare infrastructure are not prepared to address the needs of this rapidly expanding population. 

“Just as there are myriad forms of discrimination and administrative roadblocks faced by PLAHIV to aging with dignity with unhampered decision-making capacity, there are accessible tools that they can utilize to best prepare for their future,” said Greenberg.

The focus of the primer is to help PLAHIV identify and overcome the legal barriers to aging with dignity. It explains existing support systems and serves as a guide for advocates to identify priority areas for policy work. This publication explores three areas of the law that impact PLAHIV: 

• Federal laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act that protect PLHIV from discrimination and the agencies that can assist with remedying complaints. 
• The criminalization of PLHIV and the collateral consequences of criminal legal system involvement and criminal records on PLAHIV. 
• The barriers to and techniques for protecting the power of PLAHIV to make decisions about their lives. 

Each section frames the issue and describes relevant laws, suggests avenues for self-advocacy, and recommends policy priorities for continued advocacy by and on behalf of PLAHIV. Many PLAHIV not only have to contend with stigma and discrimination based on their serostatus, but their access to care and resources is impacted by anti-Blackness, racism, homophobia, transphobia, and ageism. 

This primer is also the first resource of its kind to address the statistical likelihood that many PLAHIV have had contact with the criminal justice system and may have criminal records that will impact their ability to access services and resources as they age.

“As a Black woman living and aging with HIV, I’m eager to share this work that addresses the stigma and barriers associated with incarceration, homelessness, and aging with HIV,” said Davina Conner, HIV advocate and CHLP Aging Consultant. “By centering our lived experiences, we can help individuals navigate these complex realities and empower them to live with dignity and hope.” 

Conner and Greenberg are hosting a webinar on Friday, August 16 at 12pm ET to explore the issues raised in the primer with fellow HIV advocates Kerry Thomas, Shekinah Rose, and Tez Anderson. 

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