Minutes of the Meeting of the
Integration of Care Committee
Veronica Fortunato & Steve Hemraj, IOC Co-Chairs
Wednesday, March 19, 2025
10:00am-11:15pm
Minutes
Members Present: Ronnie Fortunato (Co-chair), Steve Hemraj (Co-chair), Raffi Babakhanian, Mitchell Caponi, Dorothy Farley, Billy Fields, Deborah Greene, Christopher Joseph, David Klotz, Marcelo Maia, Jeff Natt, Cesar Nuñez, Guadalupe Dominguez Plummer, John Schoepp, Brenda Starks-Ross, Gretchen Ty
Staff Present: NYC DOHMH: Doienne Saab, Michael Navejas, Adrianna Eppinger-Meiering, Johanna Acosta, Scott Spiegler, Abraham Omeyoma
Agenda Item #1: Welcome/Introductions/Minutes/Public Comment
Ms. Fortunato and Mr. Hemraj opened the meeting followed by a roll call and a moment of silence. The draft minutes from the February 26th meeting were approved with no changes. Mr. Navajas reminded everyone of the Consumers Committee’s Client Advisory Board Town Hall on April 15th.
Agenda Item #2: Service Standards
Ms. Saab and Ms. Eppinger-Meiering presented an overview of HRSA-required service standards. Service standards outline minimal elements and expectations a RWPA service provider follows when implementing a specific service category, including service models and performance measures. They are a shared responsibility of recipients and planning councils, where recipients draft or revise Service Standards, then reviews and approves them with the council. They should be revised when needed (e.g., after a new service directive is approved and an RFP process completed). Elements included in the standards are: 1) service category definition, 2) service components, 3) staff qualifications, 4) intake and eligibility, 5) transition and discharge, and 6) case closure protocol. Standards are used by recipients to ensure services are provided to clients consistently across funded service providers, and to establish the consistent framework of service provision from which processes and outcomes are measured for quality management. Language for service standards comes from pre-existing sources: 1) Ryan White legislation and HRSA guidance, 2) Planning Council service category directives, 3) DOHMH HIV Care & Treatment Program/PHS requests for proposals (RFPs). There is no new language in the service standards and they are meant to fulfill a HRSA requirement. Revised standard are needed for the following service categories that have had recent revised Council directives and completed RFPs: Behavioral Health (Mental Health, Harm Reduction, Supportive Counseling), Housing and Ambulatory Outpatient Care (HIV & Aging).
Ms. Eppinger-Meiering reviewed the text of the six service standards, noting that some is boilerplate language used for all service categories (e.g., case closure, grievance procedures). A sample standard (Harm Reduction) was reviewed in depth showing individualized goals (from the Council’s directives), program enrollment criteria (from the Council’s directives), service types (from the Council’s directives with details from RFPs), and staffing plans (from RFPs). Language regarding discharge/case closure and grievance procedures are taken from HRSA guidance and are the same for all categories.
A summary of the ensuing discussion follows:
- The timing of reassessment (6 months) is based on HRSA standards.
- Staffing plans are based on research into best practices for the specific service types, with qualifications specified in RFPs.
- Other options for peer certification should be available, as appropriate, in addition to the NYSDOH AIDS Institute (e.g., NYS Office of Mental Health).
- Security deposits must go back to the entity that paid them (for RWPA housing programs, usually the sub-recipient). Language in the service standard should remain aligned with the RFP, but the Recipient ensures that any changes due to new HRSA policies will be implemented.
- Language should be added to note that grievances are submitted to designated BHHS staff with the current contact included with an “as of” date.
There was a consensus to approve the six service standards as presented. They will be presented to the full Council in April.
At the next meeting, the Committee will begin review of the service directive for Food & Nutrition Services. The next IOC meeting will be held on Wednesday, May 21st, 10am-12pm.
There being no further comment, the meeting was adjourned.
