Meeting of the
CONSUMERS COMMITTEE
Tuesday, February 18, 2025
Zoom Meeting
2:00 pm – 3:25 pm
Committee Members Present: Marcelo Maia Soares (Co-chair), John Schoepp (Co-chair), Raffi Babakhanian (Consumer-at-Large), Randal Bruce, Paul Carr, Billy Fields, Lawrence Francis, Yves Gebhardt, Charmaine Graham, Ralph Henderson
Staff Present: Michael Navejas, Doienne Saab, Kimbirly Mack, Abraham Omeyoma
Guests Present: Kenneth Atkins, Adrianna Eppinger-Meiering, Gus Angelopoulos
Agenda Item 1: Welcome/Introductions/Reading of Rules of Respectful Engagement/Moment of Silence/Minutes
John S. and Marcelo opened the meeting with a group reading of the rules of respectful engagement and a moment of silence. Group introductions were followed by an introduction of the new Planning Council Community Coordinator, Abraham Omeyoma. Abraham took a few minutes to introduce himself to the Consumers Committee and share his background and experience.
The minutes of the January 28, 2025 meeting were approved with no changes.
Agenda Item 2: Mobile Text Messaging Pilot
Adrianna Eppinger-Meiering, Senior Program Planner from HIV Care and Treatment Program, presented on a mobile text messaging pilot opportunity for Consumers Committee members. Before release of the system to the greater public, the Recipient would like to pilot the system with members of the community, specifically with member of the Consumers Committee. The Recipient is working on developing a new mobile text messaging system to connect members of the community to HIV care and treatment services throughout the NY EMA. It is working with an independent vendor who manages the text messaging system for the entire health department to build out a model that makes sense for the services managed by CTP, starting first with RWPA and City tax levy-funded (CTL) services. The text messaging system would be free, would include services throughout the EMA, and would be added to the EHE workplan.
Adrianna addressed Committee Member questions about the text messaging system and the pilot including questions on time commitment (1 hour), incentives ($50 Amazon cards), availability of text messaging system (no date finalized), and confidentiality (text messaging system would be anonymous).
Agenda Item 3: Brainstorming: Future Presentations
John and Marcelo led a discussion on topics of interest to the Consumers Committee for which individuals could be invited to present. Topics of interest included the following:
- Creating safe spaces/safe zones
- HIV care research
- Conflict resolution/team building
- Emerging issues in HIV
Agenda Item 4: CAB Town Hall Subcommittee
Update and Discussion
Michael opened the discussion of the CAB Town Hall Run of Show by first providing context for the purpose of the town hall. In his remarks Michael stated that one of the main purposes of the town hall is gather consumer input that will convince agencies to support CABs as the best way for getting meaningful consumer feedback and that the Town Hall would also serve as an event to encourage consumers to get involved in their CABs and to encourage those without CABs to advocate for one.
The CAB Town Hall Run of Show was then reviewed from beginning to end. Michael informed the Committee Members that guest panelists from ACQC, SUNY Downstate, Housing Works, H+H, and the TriCounty area had been invited, with one confirmed panelist from the Tri-County area.
Committee Members also reviewed the near-final versions of the panelist and breakout group questions. Minor edits were suggested and will be incorporated into the final version of the questions.
Development of a CAB Town Hall flyer was briefly discussed, with Doienne taking the lead in developing a draft version. Michael will work on creating an Eventbrite event for participant registration.
Agenda Item 5: Public Comment
Public comments by Committee Members included a notice of an HIV Day on February 27th hosted by New York City Public Library and an invitation to view a recent Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez video that details the impact and importance of recent Executive Orders. Committee Members also voiced concern over the meeting date of the Consumers Committee meeting day and time.
Agenda Item 5: Other
The next meeting of the Consumers Committee will be from 2 to 4pm on Tuesday, March 18 via Zoom.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
