AFC, community organizations present 'Getting to Zero' town halls

Chicago, IL - AIDS Foundation of Chicago (AFC) along with its organizational partners will host a series of 'Getting to Zero' town hall meetings in January 2018.

The community groups hope to build on the state's progress in the fight against HIV. New HIV cases in Illinois dropped by nearly 28% over tihe decade from 2006-2015, and Illinois has nearly eliminated mother-to-child HIV transmission. In the City of Chicago, there have been fewer than 1,000 new HIV cases annually since 2013, the fewest cases reported annually since 1990.

"It's time to take stock of the state's portfolio of programs targeted for people vulnerable to and living with HIV or for general populations and optimize them for today's epidemic," the organization said in a statement. "Most importantly, it's imperative that we eradicate health disparities so everyone–regardless of HIV status–can thrive. That's why it's time for an Illinois Getting to Zero plan."

In July 2016, a small group of people living with HIV, advocates, service providers and government officials met to explore a plan to dramatically impact the course of the HIV epidemic in Illinois. The result of the year-long project was the Getting to Zero Framework. 

AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Alexian Brothers Housing and Health Alliance, Center on Halsted, Chicago Black Gay Men's Caucus, Chicago Department of Public Health, Howard Brown Health, Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois Public Health Association, Lake County Health Department, Northwestern University, Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center, and University of Chicago participated in the development of the 'Getting to Zero' framework.

As part of the process, AFC and the participating organizations are seeking community input through a series of town hall meetings to ensure the 'Getting to Zero' efforts makes a difference for people living with and vulnerable to HIV.

The following town hall sessions are scheduled:

Thursday, January 18

Normal Public Library

206 W. College Ave.

Normal, IL

6 – 8 p.m.

Tuesday, January 23

Waukegan Public Library

128 N County St.

Waukegan, IL

5 – 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, January 25

Simmons Cancer Institute at SIU School of Medicine

315 W Carpenter St.

Springfield, IL

12 – 2 p.m.

Friday, January 26

Champaign-Urbana Public Health District

201 W Kenyon Rd

Champaign, IL

9:30 a.m. – 12 noon

Saturday, January 27

Moline Public Library

3210 41st St.

Moline, IL

12 – 2 p.m.

Tuesday, January 30

Carbondale Civic Center

200 S. Illinois Ave.

Carbondale, IL

5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday, January 31

Doubletree Hotel

1000 Eastport Plaza Dr, Collinsville

Collinsville, IL

2 – 4 p.m.