MN HIV Services Planning Council
Meeting Minutes for November 11, 2003
Redeemer Missionary Baptist Church

 

 

I.       Welcome and introductions; lighting of the candle

Paul called the meeting to order at 9:05 a.m.  Introductions were made.  LeMonte lit the candle – asking everyone to take a deep breath and think carefully about the work the Council will be doing today.

 

II.     Review the minutes and proposed agenda

The minutes were approved by unanimous consent.

 

III.   Prioritization presentation

A.                Brief data presentation

Aaron Keith gave a brief overview of the case management SAR summary describing how pieces of the information were collected.  He then highlighted specific points on the summary.  He also reminded members to review the other planning documents that will be used for priority setting.

 

B.                 Provider presentation - Case Management

Provider presentations are being audio taped for member review at a later time or for those who aren’t present.  Paul reiterated that these presentations are to review service areas not to look at specific agencies.  Tim Himango gave the presentation beginning with a distinction between case management and care advocacy services.  Currently there are more than thirty case managers and two care advocates – they represent the metro area as well as greater Minnesota.

 

C.                 Discussion

Members then asked questions to clarify the information presented. 

 

IV.     Co-chair update

Paul gave the update.  For the provider presentations – SAR summary sheets have been developed and reviewed by the Planning & Priorities and Needs Assessment & Evaluation committees.

 

There will be a catch up diversity training for members who weren’t able to attend the session held this summer on November 19^th with a follow up session to be held on January 12^th for all members.  Amy asked if Task Force members could also be invited.  Staff will email Julie Hanson to let her know so she can forward the information to Task Force members (who should RSVP to Mary Dwyer).  The mini-prioritization has been moved to the January Planning Council meeting.  At the December Planning Council meeting there will be a training segment on how to interpret data for the prioritization from 12:00 to 1:00 pm.  The meeting will end at 11:30 am and lunch will be served so all can attend the data training.  The HIV+ meeting will follow at Redeemer because the Aliveness Project is preparing holiday baskets in the committee’s usual meeting space.

 

V.       Service Area Review (SAR) review

Juan and Becky passed out copies of the SAR presentation that they are giving at today’s meeting.  The presentation intends to help Planning Council members better understand the components of the service area reviews (SAR) that the Needs Assessment and Evaluation Committee reviews and forwards to the Planning Council for use in prioritization.  This training is also being audio taped.  Becky and Juan then answered members’ questions.

 

VI.     Title I update – Jonathan Hanft

Jonathan passed out the update outline.  The application was submitted on October 22^nd.  He hasn’t heard anything about Congress’ appropriations yet so he doesn’t have any information about the award.  Carryover contracts, based on the proposal previously approved by the Planning Council and approved by HRSA, are waiting to be signed by the County Board.

 

CSAD interviews were held last week for coordinator positions.  There were a good  (47 or so) number of applications with the vast majority from members of the African born community.  The grantee staff is currently talking to the project team in Washington.  The grantees would like to reconfigure the coordinator positions.

 

Jonathan also handed out an information packet that has several maps that illustrate the incidence of HIV throughout the EMA as well as service providing agencies and where they are located.  The grantee staff has also prepared a provider directory and listing of providers by service area for all agencies receiving Ryan White CARE Act funds (Titles I, II, III, IV and Part F).

 

Jonathan also passed out a spending report for the first six months of the grant year.  Currently spending is at 49%.  There are a couple of areas where there may be opportunities for reallocation.  Currently he anticipates that reallocations will occur within service areas and the amounts reallocated should be relatively small.

 

Upcoming trainings include an all vendor provider fair (prevention and care providers will be there) on December 10^th.  There will also be a webcast at Snelling Office Park on prevention for positives in primary medical care from the CDC on Thursday, November 13^th.

 

VII.   Title II update – Amy Moser

Amy gave the report.  The Title II staff has just received the guidance for preparing the Title II application.  She will be working on it and will keep members up to date.  The Title II carryover plan has been approved and will be implemented.  DHS, MDH and some other agencies applied for a SAMHSA grant but it was not awarded.  ADAP update – Congress still isn’t doing much about an additional allocation.  There are currently 16 states with waiting lists.  If you go to nastad.org there are links to more complete information.  Amy then reported that the HIV/AIDS staff will be meeting with the DHS administration this week to discuss the full impact of budget cuts on DHS programs – she hopes to report more at the December Planning Council meeting.  Currently DHS is not able to pay for medical assistance co-pays because the computer system cannot accommodate it.  Call Amy with any questions about programming.  The dental program (called program HH) currently does not have a $500 cap like the medical assistance dental program.

 

The greater MN services system has been delivering statewide trainings on HIV/STD epi, STD rates, and the HIV/AIDS prevention and service systems in Greater MN.  Trainings have been conducted in Moorhead and Brainerd.  The next training will be next week in Cass Lake

 

The Access to Care study will probably start in December.  An advisory group has been convened.  Further information will be available in future meetings.

 

Planning for the Empowering Heroes Conference will begin soon.  This year’s conference will be a one-day session and will not include overnight accommodations because of funding limitations.  If anyone is interested in being on the advisory committee please contact Amy.

 

DHS is also conducting a greater MN housing survey that should be going out in a couple of weeks.

 

VIII.MHSPC staff updates

Mary Doyle reminded members that the diversity catch up session will be held on November 19^th.   The December meeting will end at 11:30 am, then lunch will be served for all and data training will be held from 12:00 to 1:00 pm.  The HIV+ meeting will be held in the same space at the Redeemer Missionary Baptist church after that because Aliveness is preparing holiday baskets in the usual meeting space.  On January 12^th a follow up session for the retreat will be held from 11:30 am to 4:30 pm, location to be announced

 

Mary Dwyer reported that we have received a computer that was donated for a Planning Council member.  Please contact Mary Dwyer for more information.  She also asked all members to pick up a binder for prioritization – materials will be able to be 3-hole punched for easier organization.

 

IX.     Linkages workplan implementation approval

Jonathan gave a brief update of the process that resulted in recommendations for better linking prevention and care services.  He then reviewed the summarized workplan that was provided to members and the intention is that it will be voted on and approved today.  Members then asked clarification questions.  Jonathan clarified that there is a larger report with more information available.  Contact the office for a copy.  Most of the work will be done on the G-HAT level.  The co-chairs of the Planning Council and Task Force will be responsible for monitoring the progress and discuss linkages at their quarterly meetings.  MOTION:  Eric moved Linda seconded approval of the linkages recommendations presented.  Passed with one abstention (Novotny).

                  

X.                Committee  – written reports, time for questions, discussion

Written reports were handed out and Andrea asked members to review them on their own time.

 

MOTION:  Randy moved David seconded accepting the written committee reports with no discussion and extending the meeting by an additional fifteen minutes to allow equal time for the next presentation.  Passed unanimously.

 

XI.     HIV+ Co-chair election approval

MOTION:  David B. moved Eric seconded approval of Andy Ansell’s nomination as HIV Positive co-chair.  Passed unanimously.

 

XII.   Prioritization presentation

A.                Provider presentation Food and Nutrition

Joe and Mark divided the presentation and gave specific information about the programs they have at their agencies.  Amy also gave information about the nutritional services program that DHS administers.

 

B.                 Discussion

Members then asked clarification questions.

 

XIII.Announcements and meeting evaluation

There were no announcements.

 

Documents distributed at or before the meeting:

·        Agenda and October 14, 2003 meeting minutes

·        Title I update outline

·        Case Management SAR and summary

·        Food and Nutrition SAR and summary

·        Service provider information regarding Case Management and Food and Nutrition

·        Provider presentation feedback forms

·        Service area presentation worksheet

·        Service Area Review (SAR) Overview PowerPoint presentation handout

·        Title II report

·        Committee meeting summaries

·        Second quarter spending report

·        Title I description of EMA and associated maps developed by the grantee’s office

·        Summary of Linkages Work Group Recommendations

·        Meeting evaluation

 

MOTION:   The meeting was adjourned by unanimous consent.

 

Adjourned at 12:15 p.m.