Ohio Gov. John Kasich’s proposed budget for the Ohio HIV Drug Assistance Program is $5.5 million—barely enough to provide essential medical services to people with HIV/AIDS. But a new plan put forward by the Ohio House of Representatives Finance Committee will cut those services by an additional $200,000 per year for the next two fiscal years. Ohio already has a waiting list of people living with HIV/AIDS who urgently need access to basic care and treatment for HIV. Further cuts put more lives at risk.

Equality Ohio and the Ohio AIDS Coalition are teaming up to stop these cuts. Please call your legislators; tell them Ohio needs funding for HIV/AIDS services and to restore the full $5.5 million Kasich requested for line 440-444 of the 2011-2012 budget. Visit the websites for the Ohio House and the Ohio Senate to find out who represents you in the statehouse and how to contact them.