252.12 HIV and related infections, including hepatitis C virus infections; services and prevention.

(1) Definitions. In this section:

(b) “AIDS service organizations" means nonprofit corporations or public agencies that provide, or arrange for the provision of, comprehensive services to prevent HIV infection and comprehensive health and social services for persons who have HIV infection, and that are designated as such by the department under sub. (4).

(c) “Nonprofit corporation" means a nonstock corporation organized under ch. 181 that is a nonprofit corporation, as defined in s. 181.0103 (17).

(d) “Organization" means a nonprofit corporation or a public agency which proposes to provide services to individuals with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome.

(e) “Public agency" means a county, city, village, town or school district or an agency of this state or of a county, city, village, town or school district.

(2) Distribution of funds.

(a) HIV and related infections, including hepatitis C virus infections; services. From the appropriation accounts under s. 20.435 (1) (a) and (am), the department shall distribute funds for the provision of services to individuals with or at risk of contracting HIV infection, as follows:

1. `Partner referral and notification.' The department shall contact an individual known to have received an HIV infection and encourage him or her to refer for counseling, HIV testing, and, if appropriate, testing for hepatitis C virus infection any person with whom the individual has had sexual relations or has shared intravenous equipment.

2. `Grants to local projects.' The department shall make grants to applying organizations for the provision of HIV and related infection prevention information, the establishment of counseling support groups and the provision of direct care to persons with HIV infection, including those persons with hepatitis C virus infection.

3. `Statewide public education campaign.' The department shall promote public awareness of the risk of contracting HIV and related infections and measures for HIV and related infections protection by development and distribution of information through clinics providing family planning services, as defined in s. 253.07 (1) (b), offices of physicians and clinics for sexually transmitted diseases and by newsletters, public presentations or other releases of information to newspapers, periodicals, radio and television stations and other public information resources. The information shall be targeted at individuals whose behavior puts them at risk of contracting HIV and related infections and shall encompass the following topics:

a. HIV infection and related infections.

b. Means of identifying whether or not individuals may be at risk of contracting HIV and related infections.

c. Measures individuals may take to protect themselves from contracting HIV and related infections.

d. Locations for procuring additional information or obtaining HIV testing services.

4. `Information network.' The department shall establish a network to provide information to local health officers and other public officials who are responsible for HIV infection and related infection prevention and training.

5. `HIV seroprevalence studies.' The department shall perform HIV tests and, if appropriate, tests for the presence of related infections and shall conduct behavioral surveys among population groups determined by the department to be highly at risk of becoming infected with or transmitting HIV and related infections. Information obtained shall be used to develop targeted HIV infection and related infection prevention efforts for these groups and to evaluate the state's prevention strategies.

6. `Grants for targeted populations and intervention services.' The department shall make grants to those applying organizations that the department determines are best able to contact individuals who are determined to be highly at risk of contracting HIV for the provision of HIV and related infection information and intervention services.

7. `Contracts for counseling and laboratory testing services.' The department shall distribute funding in each fiscal year to contract with organizations to provide, at alternate testing sites, anonymous or confidential counseling services for HIV, laboratory HIV testing services, and, if appropriate, laboratory testing services for the presence of related viruses.

8. `Mike Johnson life care and early intervention services grants.' The department shall award not more than $4,000,000 in each fiscal year in grants to applying organizations for the provision of needs assessments; assistance in procuring financial, medical, legal, social and pastoral services; counseling and therapy; homecare services and supplies; advocacy; and case management services. These services shall include early intervention services. The department shall also award not more than $74,000 in each year from the appropriation account under s. 20.435 (5) (md) for the services under this subdivision. The state share of payment for case management services that are provided under s. 49.45 (25) (be) to recipients of medical assistance shall be paid from the appropriation account under s. 20.435 (1) (am). All of the following apply to grants awarded under this subdivision:

a. None of the funds awarded may be used to fund AIDS programs, or to develop materials, designed to promote or encourage, directly, intravenous drug use or sexual activity, whether homosexual or heterosexual.

b. None of the funds awarded may be used for political purposes.

c. Funds awarded shall be used to provide medical care and support services for individuals with HIV.

9. `Grant for family resource center.' The department shall award a grant to develop and implement an African-American family resource center in the city of Milwaukee that targets activities toward the prevention and treatment of HIV infection and related infections, including hepatitis C virus infection, of minority group members, as defined in s. 16.287 (1) (f).

(c) HIV prevention grants.

1. From the appropriation account under s. 20.435 (1) (md), the department shall award to applying nonprofit corporations or public agencies up to $75,000 in each fiscal year, on a competitive basis, as grants for services to prevent HIV. Criteria for award of the grants shall include all of the following:

a. The scope of proposed services, including the proposed targeted population and numbers of persons proposed to be served.

b. The proposed methodology for the prevention services, including distribution and delivery of information and appropriateness of the message provided.

c. The qualifications of the applicant nonprofit corporation or public agency and its staff.

d. The proposed allocation of grant funds to the nonprofit corporation or public agency staff and services.

e. The proposed method by which the applicant would evaluate the impact of the grant funds awarded.

2. From the appropriation account under s. 20.435 (1) (am), the department shall award $75,000 in each fiscal year as grants for services to prevent HIV infection and related infections, including hepatitis C virus infection. Criteria for award of the grants shall include the criteria specified under subd. 1. The department shall award 60 percent of the funding to applying organizations that receive funding under par. (a) 8. and 40 percent of the funding to applying community-based organizations that are operated by minority group members, as defined in s. 16.287 (1) (f).

3. From the appropriation account under s. 20.435 (1) (am), the department shall award to the African American AIDS task force of the Black Health Coalition of Wisconsin, Inc., $25,000 in each fiscal year as grants for services to prevent HIV infection and related infections, including hepatitis C infection.

(3) Confidentiality of information. The results of any test performed under sub. (2) (a) 5. are confidential and may be disclosed only to the individual who receives a test or to other persons with the informed consent of the test subject. Information other than that released to the test subject, if released under sub. (2) (a) 5., may not identify the test subject.

(4) Designation of AIDS service organizations. The department shall designate AIDS service organizations and specify the geographical area of the state in which they are designated to provide services.

History: 1987 a. 27, 70, 399; 1989 a. 31, 201, 336; 1991 a. 39, 80; 1993 a. 16; 1993 a. 27 ss. 318, 319, 321, 323; Stats. 1993 s. 252.12; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 27, 79; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 16; 2005 a. 25; 2007 a. 20; 2009 a. 28, 209, 221; 2011 a. 32; 2013 a. 20; 2015 a. 55; 2017 a. 59.