Thursday, July 25, 2024
3:00-4:25 PM
By Zoom Videoconference
Members Present: D. Klotz (Governmental Co-chair), D. Martin (Community Co-chair), B. Fields (Finance Officer), S. Altaf, R. Babakhanian, M. Baney, K. Banks, R. Brown, P. Carr, V. Decamps, J. Dudley, J. Edwards, M. Gilborn, C. Graham, R. Ford, R. Fortunato, J. Goldenbridge, S. Hemraj, R. Henderson, E. Kaywin, M. Lesieur, N. Martin, M. Maia Soares, L. F. Molano, MD, J. Palmer, L. Sabashvili, J. Schoepp, M. Sedlacek, M. Thompson, T. Troia, G. Ty, S. Wilcox
Members Absent: M. Bacon, G. Bruckno, M. Caponi, J. Gomez, F. Laraque, W. LaRock, H. Martinez, M. Rodriguez, J. Roman, C. Simon
Staff Present: DOHMH: C. Quinn, MD, D. Saab, J. Klein, A. Eppinger-Meiering, K. Mack, P. Padgen, R. Barakzai; Public Health Solutions: A. Shahi, G. Ashby-Barclay, R. Santos
Agenda Item #1: Welcome/Introductions/Minutes/Announcements
Mr. Martin and Mr. Klotz opened the meeting followed by a roll call and a moment of silence. The minutes from the May 23, 2024 meeting were approved with one minor change.
In honor of Disability Pride Month, the Council’s summer intern Ms. Barakzai presented on disabled trailblazers in the fight against HIV.
Dr. Quinn thanked the Council for their dedication and hard work over the course of the year, praising what can be accomplished when government and the community work in partnership.
Agenda Item #2: Public Comment
Mike Sanderson expressed concern about proposed rules to ban masks on the subway. This stigmatizes and puts at risk people who still want to protect themselves from COVID and other airborne diseases, particularly people with HIV.
Mr. Maia thanked Dr. Quinn for always being available to the community, particularly attending an ACT-UP meeting to discuss proposed cuts to NYC’s HIV budget.
Mr. Fields reported that he attended the DOHMH Zero HIV Stigma Day event and thanked Mr. Maia for his assistance that day.
Mr. Carr encouraged people to support him in the HIV Lifecycle Ride to benefit the LGBT Center and HIV service organizations.
Agenda Item #3: Election of Finance Officer
Mr. Klotz announced that Mr. Fields is the only nominee to date for a 2-year term as Finance Officer, beginning September 1st. There was a call for any additional nominations. There being none, Mr. Fields was elected by acclamation. Mr. Fields thanked the Council and expressed his wish to continue working collaboratively to ensure that the spending of the grant is maximized.
Agenda Item #4: Recipient Report
Ms. Eppinger-Meiering reported that Zero HIV Stigma Day was observed on July 21st to challenge the impact of stigma. An event was held at DOHMH. HRSA announced a new policy allowing Ryan White funds to be used to pay security deposits. A clinical trial showed that a new long-acting injectable was effective in women. The AETC Program has released a mobile app to support behavioral health of PWH.
HRSA released notices of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the 2025 Ryan White Part A grant and for federal Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) funding for HIV support services, which can be used to leverage RWPA programs in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx and Queens. The DOHMH BHHS HIV Care & Treatment Program will be managing both applications.
The Recipient and Public Health Solutions (PHS) developed the first RWPA Policies and Procedures Manual for Subrecipients. The manual is a resource for RWPA contracted agencies and includes relevant information on and contract requirements need in order to successfully manage programs.
The EMA’s carryover request was approved by HRSA on July 23rd. The Recipient will work with subrecipients to distribute and utilize the $2,294,421 of carryover funds in accordance with the Planning Council-approved Carryover Plan. The Recipient (with input from Council staff) submitted the annual Program Submissions Report to HRSA, which details how the EMA ensures access to comprehensive HIV care and how the Council supports that work. The RWPA Behavioral Health and Non-Medical Case Management RFPs were released on June 25th. Proposals are due September 4th. The EMA’s Quality Management (QM) Committee met on June 18th to continue discussion on planned subrecipient quality management trainings and mechanisms for subrecipient and consumer collaboration.
A summary of HIV- and STI-related State laws was provided, along with a policy brief from the Center for Health Care Strategies on Medicaid opportunities to improve health care access for LGBTQ+ people.
Agenda Item #5: GY 2023 Application Spending Plans
Ms. Gilborn presentedthe GY 2025 application spending plan recently approved by the Priority Setting & Resource Allocation (PSRA) Committee, explaining that EMAs may request up to 5% more than we received this year. Even though a request is highly unlikely, the request is a demonstration of the need in the EMA, where the number of people who need services continues to grow, in spite a reduction in the number of new diagnoses.
For GY 2025, the TC Steering Committee is requesting that all the potential increase go to support additional Housing Services(a 19% increase to the category = +$223,491). PSRA recommends that the entire MAI requested increase be allocated to Housing (a 17% increase to that category = +$353,538).
For the NYC Base application spending plan, the 5% increase amount is supplemented by changes in the carrying costs of programs: one-time enhancement to Housing done at the beginning of this year to bridge clients during the transition to newly procured programs ($931,957), and the end of the Health Education category ($292,695). Also, PSRA recommends a 20% Targeted Decrease to Psychosocial Services for TIGNBNC PWH (PSS) (-$193,800). Enrollment and spending has not met targets, despite extensive TA. The reduced allocation helps right-size the program while allowing it to continue to provide services, including allowing for potential increased enrollment.
The 5% increase plus additional available NYC Base funds are allocated as follows:
- Housing Services: $1,731,423 (15% increase)
- Food & Nutrition Services: $1,172,690 (15% increase)
- Legal Services: $361,590 (10% increase)
- Remaining funds allocated in an across-the-board increase (weighted by ranking score) with the exception of ADAP, PSS and Oral Health.
The PSRA Committee will meet in the winter to plan for the actual award, including flat-funding and decrease scenarios. $1,418,452 will be available in a flat funding scenario to allocate to areas of high need (e.g., Housing, Food & Nutrition). The amount can also be used to offset a reduction to the grant award.
In response to a question from Mr. Soares, Mr. Lesieur explained that there has been no progress on legislation to create a HASA-style program for the rest of NY State. Leadership from a non-NYC legislator is needed.
Ms. Gilborn moved to accept the GY 2025 application spending plans as presented. The motion seconded and was adopted 29Y-0N.
Mr. Klotz noted that the revised service directive for Emergency Financial Assistance was referred by the Executive Committee back to the Integration of Care Committee for further revisions and will be brought to the full Council in October.
Agenda Item #6: Recognition of Retiring Members
Mr. Klotz thanked the retiring members for their contributions to the Council. Members whose terms end on August 31st. Mr. Altaf, Ms. Graham, Beth Hribar, Mr. Lesieur and Ms. Thompson were thanked for their leadership and dedication to the Council and the community.
Agenda Item #7: Co-chairs Update
Mr. Klotz reminded the Council that the annual member recognition event will take place on Friday, August 9th, 12:30-4pm at Riverbank State Park.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
