What is Project ABLE?

• AIDS Budget Legislative Effort.
• A coalition to advocate for state funding to sustain HIV/AIDS/HCV treatment and social services, imperative to ensuring public funding is available to the statewide network of AIDS service organizations providing a continuum of care to clients and their families.
• A network of HIV/AIDS/HCV resources for prevention, treatment, and social services.

What does Project ABLE do?

• Protects the availability of services by connecting service providers and their clients directly to legislators.
• Grows our network of allies with advocacy roles, creating a strong framework of well-informed and politically motivated organizations voicing the needs of their communities.
• Secures and improves the community-based service network caring for 15,000 people living with HIV in Massachusetts for over 15 years.

What’s in the future?

• Project ABLE will continue statewide organizing efforts that bring together people living with HIV/AIDS/HCV, providers, and advocates to effectively educate their State Senate and House Representatives about the need to support the community-based HIV/AIDS/HCV service delivery network.
• Project ABLE’s Advocacy Consultant will facilitate training for members to improve their community organizing skills in addition to the accessibility of their own HIV/AIDS services.
• Members will recruit people living with HIV/AIDS/HCV, program administrators, and care providers to meet with their elected officials in person.

What is involved in the training?

• Prepares members to play key roles in the legislative and budgetary process.
• Facilitates development of member’s advocacy skills such as community organizing, contacting legislators, and use of the media to reach broader segments of the community.
• Incorporates current issues relevant to HIV/AIDS/HCV service delivery, including ethnic, cultural, and regional differences that affect access to services.
• Helps transform organizations from having to be passive recipients of public aid to being active partners with their elected officials.
• Creates a foundation in Massachusetts for community-level organizing and activism around public health issues.