As AIDS enters its 26th year, some service organizations have begun to realize that they must evolve to meet changing needs. The San Francisco AIDS Foundation became the latest one this week, when it announced that it plans to assume the contracts of two programs that serve gay and bi men – Magnet, the health center in the Castro, and the Stonewall Project, which works with men who use crystal meth. Essentially, the two smaller organizations will merge with SFAF. Although all the details are not yet known – including the financial commitment from SFAF that is needed so that the programs can serve more clients – it seems like the merger is a positive development.
Mark Cloutier, executive director of the AIDS foundation, told us this week that the merger was in large part due to the work of Steve Tierney, formerly the city's HIV prevention director who is now at SFAF. Tierney has long supported the concept of Magnet, even going so far as to line up an emergency bailout of $200,000 a couple years ago when the center was having budget problems. And as we've reported, the center has had its critics, notably, those who strongly supported the concept, but felt more administrative oversight of the program was needed. One of those critics, Dr. Rick Loftus, hailed the merger as a "win-win" this week, and said it would really help the community. He also credited Magnet with helping turn the tide on the syphilis outbreak among gay men by providing screenings for that and other sexually transmitted diseases.
"The consolidation makes sense, and is along the lines of what some activists have been saying," Loftus said.
The Stonewall Project is located in cramped quarters and currently has clients on a waiting list. Its focus on harm reduction makes it a vital program for gay and bi men, who, like others using methamphetamine, often have a difficult time finding help when they decide to quit. While the harm reduction model isn't for everyone, for some it's the only way for them to get the help they need. And waiting lists for such programs are unacceptable. Most substance abuse workers would agree that at the moment a person decides to seek help for a drug addiction, there needs to be the capacity to take the person on as a client or else it's a lost opportunity.
We are concerned that SFAF honors its commitment to subsidize the contracts, since right now, the foundation hasn't committed any money, Cloutier said. He added, however, that on average, the foundation supports its government contracts by 20 percent. SFAF's financial contribution to both programs is crucial if they are to increase services and the number of clients, which is one of the main reasons for the merger in the first place. And SFAF's administrative salaries should not balloon as a result of taking on two programs that each have directors; we're sure the agency has enough employees already making six-figure salaries.
But on the whole, the merger makes sense. And if more gay and bi men can be served and positively involved in their sexual health, so much the better. We agree with Tierney that gay men's health has moved beyond condoms, and that means more programs are necessary. Magnet and Stonewall both share that premise, and in this era of shrinking financial resources, consolidation should be a benefit. We expect SFAF to commit enough resources to these programs so that they may grow.