About Beyond AIDS Foundation
HELP US REVERSE THE COURSE OF THE HIV EPIDEMIC THROUGH SOUND PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY
Beyond AIDS Foundation
1275 W. Park Ave. #7718
Redlands, CA 92373
Web: www.beyondaids.org
Messages and Fax: (888) BEY-AIDS
HISTORY AND TAX STATUS OF BEYOND AIDS AND BEYOND AIDS FOUNDATION
In August 1998, under the leadership of Cary Savitch, MD, individuals from all over the U.S., concerned about inadequacies in the national public health approach to the prevention and control of HIV, gathered for the first of a series of meetings in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties in California. They formed a non-profit membership organization and named it Beyond AIDS. Beyond AIDS was incorporated in Virginia as a non-stock corporation on September 13, 1999 (SCC ID 05269642). It was registered with the IRS as a 501(c)(4) corporation (tax-exempt but not tax-deductible), EIN 54-1957919.
Subsequently, a tax-deductible subsidiary to be known as the Beyond AIDS Foundation was established to focus on education, research, and science-based policy development. The Foundation was initially incorporated in Virginia on December 7, 2000 (SCC ID No. 0551028-4), and reincorporated in Virginia as a non-stock corporation on January 20, 2014 (SCC ID No. 0773483-3). It was recognized as a 501(c)(3) corporation by the IRS on February 1, 2001, EIN 95-2017450, and has maintained that status continually. Despite use of the term “foundation” in its name, the Beyond AIDS Foundation is not a private foundation by IRS definitions. See also summary of current tax status, below.
Beyond AIDS funds were used whenever advocacy of legislation was undertaken. However, over the course of time, it became apparent that an insubstantial proportion of revenue was being utilized for that purpose, and the continued need for two separate corporations was questioned. At the Annual Meeting on December 9, 2018, Beyond AIDS voted to pursue merger of the two corporations. The corporations merged at the end of 2019, and since January 1, 2020, the Beyond AIDS Foundation has been the successor corporation, with full authority vested in its Board.
BEYOND AIDS FOUNDATION: WHAT DOES IT STRIVE FOR?
Beyond AIDS Foundation is a non-partisan, tax-deductible national American organization committed to more effective control and prevention of the national and global spread of HIV/AIDS. We are unique, in focusing on improving public health policy to stop HIV transmission as our primary mission.
We believe that this can be achieved by effectively applying proven public health measures, such as reporting, partner notification, universal screening, and intensive work with infected persons to encourage them to participate in effective treatment, and to motivate and assist them to avoid transmission to others. Now that antiretroviral treatment has been proven capable of suppressing the virus so that it will not spread, treatment (if started early and maintained with faithful adherence) is truly prevention. Conversely, prevention is truly part of care and treatment. All of these and other techniques have been successfully utilized for other diseases for decades, but have been underutilized for HIV up to now for political and historical reasons.
In fact, during our first two decades as an organization, many traditional AIDS organizations spent considerable donated resources lobbying AGAINST the very changes we believe are scientifically necessary to control HIV. Fortunately, many of the positions of Beyond AIDS have been gaining acceptance in recent years as national policy, and are finding increased acceptance by HIV/AIDS clinics and organizations, but others will need continued and intensified efforts to achieve adoption.
Beyond AIDS Foundation looks forward to a world "beyond AIDS," in which the HIV epidemic is on a downward course and attention can be redirected to other neglected public health problems. While this once was only a dream, it now appears feasible.
Beyond AIDS Foundation advocates a balance between rights and responsibilities, and between risk avoidance and harm reduction, in protecting the lives and health of the human population. And while the struggle against HIV/AIDS epidemic is exceptional, Beyond AIDS Foundation opposes making it an exception to public health.
The organization also focuses attention on other neglected or emerging communicable disease threats for which adequate strategies are still being developed, particularly those that spread in ways similar to HIV, such as hepatitis C. We suggest that screening and education for other bloodborne and sexually transmitted infections might be cost-effectively coordinated with similar efforts for HIV/AIDS.
Our legislative efforts, originally engaged in by our separate membership organization, Beyond AIDS (which is being merged with the Foundation), no longer consumes a substantial portion of our income, but accomplishes important achievements nonetheless. We work to change laws and regulations to improve public policy on HIV, at the state, federal, and international levels.
Joining as a supporter of Beyond AIDS Foundation is open to anyone who shares these goals. Although Beyond AIDS functions primarily as a national American organization, international members are welcome, and our involvement is increasingly global in scope.
Our tax-deductible Beyond AIDS Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization, devoted to education of public officials, health professionals, and the general public, as well as research, and supports our internship/fellowship program. The Board that operates the Foundation is designated by Beyond AIDS. See tax information below.
Both are registered in Virginia as nonprofit corporations. To contribute to either or both, please click on Make a Donation.
WHAT KINDS OF EDUCATIONAL AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES DOES BEYOND AIDS FOUNDATION ENGAGE IN?
- Conducted scientific programs at Loma Linda University and other venues, with continuing education credits on HIV epidemiology and treatment; bioterrorism; smallpox vaccine; and other emerging diseases such as SARS and hepatitis C; and on current treatment guidelines for HIV with antiretroviral drugs, emphasizing early initiation of treatment; special legal requirements for testing and partner services in California; syphilis diagnosis and treatment, and outbreak management; and New York’s successful HIV prevention programs, including mass testing, linkage with care, and provision of condoms; and proper use of PrEP including maintenance of condom use to prevent other STDs and to enhance effectiveness.
- Sponsored interns and fellows in California, New York, and Washington, DC.
- Posted educational materials, for the public and for HIV/AIDS providers, and checklists for testing and partner services, on the Web.
- Conducted and published survey of state and "territorial" HIV/AIDS directors on non-federal funding and actual activities in support of the "HIV Care Continuum," including outreach after new diagnoses, surveillance of missed viral load results, and surveillance of viral resistance to medications. Included published recommendations for improvement.
- Did research study on discrepancies in partner services among counties in California.
- Conducted a national Webinar with continuing education credit enduring for one year, on early initiation of antiretroviral treatment of HIV and proper use of PrEP.
- Focused on education of public officials, healthcare providers, and the general public.
BEYOND AIDS SUPPORTS PUBLIC POLICIES AND LAWS TO ACHIEVE:
- Confidential name-Based HIV reporting and partner notification.
- Promotion and elimination of barriers to universal, voluntary screening of adults and adolescents.
- Testing of all pregnant women (and of newborns if the mothers were not tested, or tested positive) as a special emphasis, to eliminate HIV transmission from mother to child.
- The “HIV Care Continuum,” linking those who test positive to health care and retaining them in care, prompt initiation of treatment good adherence and monitoring, and suppression of the virus, for their own benefit and to minimize transmission.
- Adequate Case Management and promotion of responsibility where indicated, to help infected persons avoid spreading the virus to others.
- Safer injection technology and improved infection control to avoid infections by accidental needle sticks or reused needles.
- A National HIV/AIDS Strategy assigning central roles to the above goals and the “HIV Care Continuum.”
- Promotion of safer sex practices and of prevention and treatment of injection drug abuse, to prevent not only HIV but also other sexually transmitted and bloodborne infections.
- Expansion of prevention resources for communities of color, and for other demographic groups experiencing disproportionate current and recent HIV incidence.
- Encouraging improved strategies and public health infrastructures for control and prevention of HIV and similarly transmitted diseases in Africa and around the world.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND PROJECTS FROM BEYOND AIDS' FIRST 20 YEARS
Examples of State Policy and Legislative Efforts:- Reporting
- Sponsored and achieved passage of law in California to require legislative re-evaluation of the state's HIV reporting system if it failed to meet federal standard.
- Supported the bill several years later that established confidential name-based HIV reporting in California.
- Represented on state advisory committee to develop Oregon's name-based HIV surveillance system.
- Supported regulations on name-based reporting in Pennsylvania.
- Supported legislation for name-based HIV reporting in Kentucky.
- Beyond AIDS members achieved legislation on HIV reporting in New York.
- Testing
- Sponsored and achieved passage of law in California to require the offering of prenatal HIV testing in California.
- Supported successful legislation in California to permit oral, opt-out HIV testing in medical care settings.
- Supported successful legislation in California to require offering of HIV screening in primary care, and to permit oral consent for testing in non-medical settings.
- Supported legislation in Massachusetts to eliminate a requirement for written consent.
- Supported and helped organize sponsorship of successful legislation in New York to require offering of HIV screening, and to permit oral consent for rapid testing. Supported efforts to further simplify testing requirements.
- Partner Services
- Sponsored and achieved passage of law in California to facilitate referral of partner services by physicians to public health staff.
- Performed a survey of California public health departments that revealed deficiencies in partner services and variability among counties.
- Beyond AIDS members achieved legislation on partner notification linked with reporting in New York.
- Other Prevention Measures
- Repeatedly supported legislation in California to make condoms available in prisons.
- Supported legislation in California to block the use of condom possession from being used as evidence of prostitution.
- Supported statewide regulations and legislation in California, and a successful local initiative by AIDS Healthcare Foundation in L.A., to require condom use by the adult film industry.
- Examples of Federal Policy and Legislative Efforts:
- Supported a successful federal Ryan White CARE Act revision to more efficiently use federal funds for prevention; and another revision that provided a financial incentive to states that eventually led to nationwide name-based HIV reporting.
- Supported federal legislation to encourage all states to test pregnant women and newborns.
- Supported amendment to federal legislation to encourage HIV testing of alleged sexual assailants.
- Met with staff to key Congressional committees to support renewal of Ryan White CARE Act, with provisions on prevention.
- Supported Medicare regulation that expanded coverage to include HIV screening.
- Met repeatedly with leaders of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), to propose a revised agenda to control the national HIV epidemic.
- Participated in CDC's national HIV Prevention Summit, to develop new ideas on controlling HIV.
- Delegations met with successive White House Directors of National AIDS Policy, and with officials in charge of HIV/AIDS policy for Health and Human Services, under both Republican and Democratic Administrations, to present recommendations for HIV/AIDS policy.
- Met with officials of NIH, a Surgeon General, and key federal officials over the years, to promote an agenda for more effective HIV control and prevention.
- Testified at a hearing of the Presidential Council on HIV/AIDS, on steps required to reverse the U.S. HIV epidemic.
- Examples of International Outreach:
- Met with health leaders in Japan and contacted Jamaican health officials on HIV policy issues.
- Participated in Safe Injection Global Network, an online forum of the World Health Organization.
- Commended legislation on prenatal HIV testing in Netherlands.
- Assisted with the content of online bulletins distributed to several thousand subscribers worldwide, in cooperation with Children's AIDS Fund.
- Distributed a strategy for reducing HIV, emphasizing treatment as prevention and control at the source, at the XIX International AIDS Conference.
HOW TO GET INVOLVED?
- Fill out and submit a supporter/donation form. This provides options to become a supporter, and/or make a tax-deductible donation to the Beyond AIDS Foundation.
- Send a message of interest or questions, by contacting us here Contact
CURRENT TAX INFORMATION (SEE ALSO HISTORY AND TAX STATUS ABOVE)
The Beyond AIDS Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization founded for education and research purposes in 2001, with EIN 54-2017450. Contributions are tax-deductible. It, too, is incorporated in Virginia. Despite its name, Beyond AIDS Foundation is recognized by IRS as a private charity and is neither a Section 509 grantor nor classified as a private foundation by the IRS. It is not independently endowed at this time, but depends on donations to fund its work.