Big Picture - November 2015

The Big Picture is back! This post is part of a monthly series that summarizes what's been going on in the Ryan White Planning Council, HIV Prevention Planning Group, and their subcommittees. To view meeting materials and presentations, please visit www.hivphilly.org or check out our SlideShare account.

Positive Committee

The Positive Committee has been discussing transportation, along with their other healthcare needs. This month they reviewed the results of a survey they filled out at their last meeting. People who responded to the survey had few issues with transportation. The problems they did report were related to scheduling, delays with Medicaid transportation, tokens, and out of pocket costs.

The Positive Committee also did an interactive survey about medical care. They used clickers to answer questions about their satisfaction with doctors, clinical staff, and case managers. They talked about what kept them from getting to medical appointments or, on the other hand, what kept them in care.

Needs Assessment

The Needs Assessment Committee also reviewed the Positive Committee’s transportation survey. They brainstormed ways to resolve transportation issues. They’ve developed a transportation survey in their last few meetings, which they’ll be sending to HIV service providers in the near future.

Nominations Committee

The Nominations Committee discussed their agendas for the next year. Along with the usual membership recruitment activities, application review, and attendance review, they’ll host a Planning Council social on February 11^th. The social will be held at the OHP after the Planning Council meeting. A meeting for all the subcommittee Co-Chairs is tentatively scheduled for June.

HPG/Planning Council Combined Meeting

Dr. Helena Kwakwa from the Health Department presented on the City Health Centers’ PrEP program. She pointed out that people often underestimate their risk for HIV. However, many people they surveyed were interested in PrEP. She said that doctors should bring up PrEP during primary care appointments in order to reach more people.

Dr. Kwakwa also reported on the Health Centers’ SHIPP (Sustainable Health Centers Implementation PrEP Pilot) study. People on PrEP through the Health Center program are asked if they want to participate in the study. A majority of participants are regularly taking their PrEP medications (they are adherent). Most referrals for the program are coming from HIV testers in the Health Centers.  Many people who are referred don’t end up going on PrEP. However, staff of the program do all they can to get people who are interested to appointments so they can get on PrEP. Dr. Kwakwa again recommended that primary care doctors start talking to patients about PrEP.

Briana read off the 4 major goals for the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) for 2015-2020. The NHAS will guide the planning process over the next several years. The new target groups for the NHAS are gay, bisexual, and other MSM of all races and ethnicities, Black women and men, Latino men and women, people who inject drugs, youth aged 13-24, people in the Southern US, and transgender women. The Epi profile gives national and local statistics about HIV and AIDS for all these groups. You can read the full Epi Profile on our website.

Nicole reviewed the guidance for the Integrated Care and Prevention Plan. The HPG and Planning Council are going to work together on the Plan over the next year.

Comp Planning

The Comprehensive Planning Committee reviewed the Goals and Objectives they developed in 2011 to prepare for the upcoming Integrated Care and Prevention Plan. 

Want to get involved? To learn more, follow the links in this post, attend one of the meetings listed on our calendar, or email info@hivphilly.org. If you have questions, you can also call us at 215-574-6760.