Petrelis Files

NMAC REPLIES TO MY CONCERNS

In a message dated 5/8/2003 2:16:19 PM Pacific Daylight Time, SMcGee@NMAC.org writes:


Mr. Petrelis,

Thank you for bringing the error to our attention. This was an oversight on our part. We meant to say new AIDS cases, rather than "new HIV cases". A retraction will be sent out today, to correct this error.

Thank you again for keeping us on our toes.

Sincerely,
Sheila McGee
Communications Director
National Minority AIDS Council
1931 13th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 483-6622 ext. 328
(202) 483-1127
smcgee@nmac.org
Please support the AIDS Programs @ NMAC - CFC #2504

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Dear Ms. McGee:

Thanks for getting back to me soon quickly after we spoke on the telephone, and for recognizing the incredible mistakes in NMAC release. Very glad to know you will be releasing a correction today, which I look forward to reading.

In response to the voicemail message left for me from Lisa Miller, head of the public relations firm
BRW LeGrand, who wants to speak with me about HIV and AIDS stats for San Francisco, I've returned her call because I would like to chat with her about those numbers.

It's deeply troubling that in the 21st year of the American AIDS crisis, an organization like NMAC can make such a mistake about an issue of overriding importance, namely, the rate of new HIV infections here.

According to the latest IRS 990 report for NMAC, available at www.guidestar.com, which is for FY 2000, the organization's total budget for that year was $8,106,873. More than half of that revenue, $4,879,405 to be precise, came from federal funding sources.

With NMAC awash in so much government money, I would think you, Mr. Paul Kawata, and the BRW LeGrand communications agency, would pay the utmost attention to vital, basic facts about HIV and AIDS stats in San Francisco, and how many new HIV infections are being recorded here.

To be blunt about it, since your organization is rather sloppy with presenting accurate and truthful information about HIV and AIDS statistics, I would like federal auditors to tell me if NMAC has properly and effectively used the large sums of taxpayer dollars. Clearly, to me, your seemingly minor error in the release is illustrative of a larger problem with NMAC--telling the truth about basic numbers.

All this forces me to wonder how NMAC is handling the massive amounts of federal grants it receives annually, so I will write tomorrow to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson and his Inspector General, to request that an audit be performed on all the contracts NMAC has had with the Health Resources Services Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Institutes of Health, for the past five fiscal years.

As you may know, HHS has routinely audited HIV/AIDS nonprofits receiving federal dollars. If you're not familiar with recent HHS audits on HIV/AIDS programs and local partners, for more information on them, go to: http://oig.hhs.gov/oas/oas/cdc.html, for reports on CDC funded HIV groups; and http://oig.hhs.gov/oas/oas/hrsa.html, for HRSA's Ryan White CARE Act audits.

Seems to me, regardless of NMAC's May 7 release and error, an audit of NMAC and its federal contracts over the last five fiscal years is long overdue. The Inspector General for HHS needs to audit NMAC this year.

It's time not just for me to keep you on your toes, but time for the Inspector General to keep you on your toes, by checking NMAC's books.

As soon as I receive a copy of your retraction, I will post it on my blog at: www.mpetrelis.blogspot.com.


Regards,
Michael Petrelis