Levine Issues Statement in Support of City of Los Angeles HIV Testing Initiative

LOS ANGELES – Assemblymember Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys) today issued the following statement regarding this morning’s announcement at City Hall of an historic effort to reduce the spread of HIV by dramatically increasing testing and linking newly identified positives into care and treatment:

“Twenty years ago, World AIDS Day was founded as a way to increase awareness of the magnitude of the HIV/AIDS epidemic globally and in the United States,” Assemblymember Levine said. “Today’s announcement of an HIV Testing Initiative by the City of Los Angeles is a fitting tribute to the spirit of World AIDS Day; the Initiative’s goal is to find which strategies are most effective in locating and testing the more than 15,000 people locally who may be HIV positive yet unaware of their status. I commend all parties involved for their diligent work in bringing together so many people from so many different backgrounds to work toward a common goal – increasing HIV testing and counseling in the areas of our communities that need it most.”