In This Issue

We close out May -- Mental Health Awareness month -- with our house doctor Theresa Mack providing an overview of HIV and mental health. Mental and emotional distress increase one's risk for HIV. And people already living with HIV/AIDS can experience sadness, depression, anxiety and other mental and emotional challenges.

As we reflect upon HIV Vaccine Awareness Day -- and with the HVTN 505 clinical trial recently halted -- the quest to identify an HIV vaccine has suffered a significant setback. AIDS.gov tells us what's next.

While African Americans with HIV tend to have low vitamin D levels, research shows that that deficiency was not associated with low bone mineral density or fibrosis of the liver. Consequently increasing vitamin D levels may not improve these conditions in people living with HIV/AIDS.

The Food and Drug Administration wants to talk to PLWHA and HIV/AIDS advocates. We provide you with the details of a free meeting/webcast on June 14^th (to attend please register by June 5).

And the Obama administration has made it easier for states to sign low-income people up for Medicaid. Our friends at Kaiser Health News report.

Yours in the struggle,

Leisha McKinley-Beach