Happy 2016! 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.
Finance Committee
Chris Chu
from the AIDS Activities Coordinating Office (AACO) presented AACO’s quarterly
underspending report to the Finance Committee. The EMA has spent 14% less than
the Planning Council allocated for the past 9 months. Transportation in New
Jersey had particularly low spending.
AACO
requested that they be allowed to use the underspent funds for other services,
like Food Bank and Medications. The Finance Committee approved the request.
Positive Committe
The Positive
Committee will be inviting representatives from the LGBT Elder Initiative
(LGBTEI) to their April meeting. They will discuss topics like mental health,
nutrition, and exercise.
Briana gave
a presentation about the National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) in Philadelphia. You
can read more about the NHAS here.
The new NHAS targets gay and bisexual men, Black women and men, Latino men and
women, people who inject drugs, youth, and transgender women. These are the
groups most affected by HIV and AIDS in the US. The Office of HIV Planning
Epidemiologic Profile gives more information on all these groups in
Philadelphia. You can find the Epi Profile on our website.
Needs Assessment Committee
The Needs
Assessment Committee has been working on a transportation survey for the past
several months. They’re putting some finishing touches on the survey and will
be sending it out to local service providers soon.
Nominations Committee
The
Nominations Committee is still looking for new Planning Council members. The
Planning Council needs members from hospital or health care planning agencies,
state Medicaid and Part B agencies, Part D grantees, Federally Recognized
Indian Tribes, and people co-infected with Hepatitis B or C. If you are anyone
you know is interested in applying to be a member, please visit our website for an application.
The
Nominations Committee is hosting a Planning Council social after the meeting on
February 11th. Please bring your friends! There will be food,
activities, and a raffle for some awesome door prizes.
HPG/Planning Council combined meeting
The HPG and
Planning Council combined their meetings this month. They had some guests talk
about HIV and Aging (Terri Clark from ActionAIDS, and Kate Clark and Katie
Young from the Philadelphia Corporation for Aging). Older people are too often
left out when we talk about sexual health and risk. Many people living with HIV
and AIDS in the US are over the age of 50. You can view the presentation here.
Dr. Robert
Winn from the Mazzoni Center also came by to talk about their PrEP program. The
Mazzoni Center had 500 patients taking PrEP in 2015. They’re working hard to
get the word out about PrEP. They’ll be opening a free clinic at the Washington
West Project in the future.
AACO presented
their underspending report. The Planning Council voted to approve AACO’s
request to use underspent funds for other categories.
Comp Planning
The Comp
Planning Committee brainstormed their perfect HIV and AIDS service system. Some
things they’d like to see are needle exchange programs, comprehensive sex
education, and campaigns to reduce the stigma of HIV and AIDS. Co-chairs from
the RWPC and the HPG will meet at an Integrated Executive Committee meeting to
discuss these ideas.
Nicole gave
the group some handouts about structural interventions (you can view meeting packets on our website). Structural
interventions change the context in which people make choices about health
behaviors. Providing people with food and housing are structural interventions.
Many people living with HIV and AIDS in Philadelphia need housing, and there
isn’t much available. The Comp Planning Committee is going to continue
discussing this at their next meeting.
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.
