Members Present: Finn Schubert (Co-chair), Marcy Thompson (Co-chair), Angela Aidala, Reginald Brown, Norine Di Giulio, Billy Fields, Erin Harned, Graham Harriman, Jennifer Irwin, Emma Kaywin, David Martin, Karen McKinnon, John Schoepp, Steven Wilcox
DOHMH, PHS, NYS and Other Staff: David Klotz, Cristina Rodriguez-Hart, Noelisa Montero, Mary Irvine, Scott Spiegler, Ilana Newman, Kimbirly Mack, Roland Torres, Renee James, Wendy Patterson (NYS AIDS Institute), Connor Reynolds
Welcome/Roll Call/Moment of Silence/Minutes:
Mr. Schubert opened the meeting, followed by a roll call and a moment of silence. The minutes of the April 14th meeting were approved with no changes.
Needs Assessment Progress
Mr. Harriman explained that the workgroups will complete their tasks today and report back to the full NAC. June 9th will be the last NAC meeting of the current planning session to summarize the workgroup’s products and review their data sources, after which a consultant will be retained to write the draft needs assessment. The NAC will resume in October to review the draft and provide feedback. If a workgroup needs extra time, they can use the time that had been allotted to the July 14th NAC meeting.
Needs Assessment Workgroups
The workgroups went into breakout rooms and continued their discussions with facilitators. Everyone then returned to the main body and each group briefly reported back.
Provider Capacity
Mr. Spiegler reported that the workgroup discussed the work of the STAR Coalition and ESCALATE Project, which are both working to reduce stigma. There is a need to operationalize anti-tigma and anti-racism recommendations. The group will review the results of the AETC provider capacity survey in the fall. The members also talked about pivoting back towards other aspects of provider capacity, hearing specifically from mental health providers.
Epi Profile
Ms. Rodriguez-Hart reported that the workgroup had a comprehensive presentation from Wendy Patterson from NYSDOH AIDS Institute Tri-County epidemiology, including data by demographics, priority populations, new diagnoses and viral load suppression compared with NYC. Several priority populations in the Tri-County region have higher VLS rates than NYC. The group will synthesize the identified data gaps for the June meeting.
Resource inventory
Mr. Harriman reported that the workgroup reviewed the documents from the process to date and discussed the need for data on the entire range of DOHMH-funded programs (RW, CDC, City Tax levy, EHE). They will be ready to give a full, final report next month.
Service needs and gaps
Ms. Harned reported that the workgroup took a closer look at the recommendations concerning gaps in each of the service areas. There was discussion on the need to have lists of all providers and resources and referral guides easily accessible to both consumers and providers (including people who do not have Internet access).
There being no further discussion, the meeting was adjourned.
