Meeting of the
HIV HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PLANNING COUNCIL
OF NEW YORK
Thursday, June 25, 2026
3:05-5:05pm
By Zoom Videoconference
DRAFT MINUTES
Members Present: D. Klotz (Governmental Co-chair), D. Martin (Community Co-chair), B. Fields (Finance Officer), G. Angelopoulos, V. Bell, J. Benitez, A. Betancourt, R. Brown, M. Caponi, P. Carr, L. Cyrus, J. Dudley, J. Edwards, R. Ford, L. Francis, M. Gilborn, C. Gomez, S. Hemraj, R. Henderson, E. Kaywin, K. Laveille, J. Louis, DDS, M. Maia Soares, N. Martin, B. Montes, J. Palmer, J. Robles, M. Rodriguez, L. Sabashvili, S. Safo, MD, J. Schoepp, M. Sedlacek, PhD, S. Spiegler (for G. Plummer, ex-officio) , A. Tomlin, L. Worrell
Members Absent: R. Babakhanian, M. Bacon, M. Baney, V. Decamps, J. Goldenbridge, C. Graham, L. F. Molano, MD, J, Natt, C. Nuñez, J. Sanchez, S. Stallings, D. Tider, G. Ty
Staff Present: DOHMH: A. Howard, MD, MS, M. Navejas, D. Saab, L. Moya Adames, A. Omeyoma, A. Guzman, T. Leong-Pelrine, A. Eppinger-Meiering, J. Acosta, R. James, D. Bickram, P. Padgen, H. K. Muk; CHAIN: A. Aidala
Agenda Item #1: Welcome/Introductions/Minutes
Mr. Martin and Mr. Klotz opened the meeting followed by introductions and a roll call and a moment of silence. The minutes of the May 28, 2026 meeting were approved with no changes.
Ms. Moya Adames and Ms. Bell gave a presentation commemorating Pride Month honoring the leadership of trans people in the fight against HIV and for equality.
Agenda Item #2: Public Comment, Part I
Ms. Montes invited Council members to participate in the dedication of Alliance for Positive Change’s new mobile outreach van.
Mr. Maia informed the Council that ACT-UP will be participating in Harlem and NYC Pride.
Agenda Item #3: Recipient Report
Ms. Eppinger-Meiering reported on HIV Long Term and Lifetime Survivors Day, marked by HRSA as well as locally with an event co-sponsored by DOHMH. Also, June 27 marks National HIV Testing Day. HRSA released its Ryan White Part C notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) to strengthen the capacity of community-based organizations to improve health outcomes and reduce HIV transmission, especially for people not yet in regular HIV care through enhancing an organization’s electronic health record and data coordination, telehealth, or dental equipment infrastructure. The CDC released its 2024 national HIV surveillance report, which showed improvements in care and treatment outcomes. CDC also released updated perinatal HIV clinical guidelines.
Last month, the Recipient submitted the 2025 Annual Progress Report, Expenditure Report, and Annual Federal Financial Report (FFR) to HRSA. These reports are part of the Recipient’s mandatory reporting requirements to HRSA and provide an updated overview of the EMA’s programmatic and fiscal grant management activities. DOHMH HIV Care and Treatment Program (CTP) received the final Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) Notice of Award for FY 2026. The total amount received is $15,095,747, which is an approximate 5% reduction from FY 2025. Earlier this year two PROMISE studies demonstrating the benefits of the RWHAP Part A Care Coordination (CCR) program in the NY EMA were published in the Journal of AIDS.
The Quality Management and Program Implementation Unit (QMPI) held a Showcase Learning Collaborative on June 4th featuring highlights from the psychosocial supportive counseling categories in both NYC and Tri-County. Updates from DOHMH/BHHS were also provided.
Agenda Item #4: GY 2025 Assessment of the Administrative Mechanism
Mr. Fields introduced the GY 2025 assessment of the administrative mechanism, a requirement of the Ryan White legislation that all planning councils issue a report on how well the Recipient has implemented the Council’s priorities and allocations, and how well they have expended the grant award.
Mr. Klotz presented the findings of the assessment. The Council received quarterly expenditure reports from the Recipient. The Recipient also reported to the Council the results of any procurements in the previous grant year. In addition, Council staff obtained information from the Recipient on the execution of contracts and renewals and the timeliness of subcontractor payments. In GY 2025, the final notice of grant award was extensively delayed, which had a negative impact on completing contract amendments early in the year, but the Recipient was able to ensure that subrecipients were able to ensure that programs were kept running through timely advance payments. The Recipient and Public Health Solutions have taken concrete steps to address ensure that the reimbursement structure, documented in monthly reports to HRSA, effectively ensures timely subcontractor payments. Finally, as previously reported, overall spending improved considerably over the previous year, with the amount available for carryover into GY 2026 at $739,491 down from $1.4M the previous year.
A motion was made and seconded to accept the GY 2025 Assessment of the Administrative Mechanism as presented. The motion was adopted 32Y-0N.
Agenda Item #5: GY 2025 Carryover Plan
Ms. Gilborn explained that carryover funds (unexpended money from the previous grant year) must be allocated to program services and serve as one-time enhancements. Funds get approved by HRSA late in the grant year and must be fully expended by the end of the grant year (February 28, 2027). The total amount from GY 2025 available as carryover funds is $739,491 ($701,103 Base, $38,388 MAI). Given that Food & Nutrition Services (FNS) have historically been able to spend down any carryover received in the short time frame and given the rising costs of food and demand for services, the Recipient recommends that the Base carryover be allocated to FNS ($593,241 in NYC and $107,862 in Tri-County). MAI funds must be used in MAI categories. Housing requires ongoing expenditures, and Care Coordination and Early Intervention Services are new programs, so the logical place for the small amount is ADAP. As in previous years, any funds that FNS cannot spend can be absorbed by ADAP.
Ms. Gilborn moved, on behalf of the PSRA Committee, to accept the GY 2025 Carryover Plan as presented. The motion was adopted 31Y-0N.
Agenda Item #6: HIV Policy Update
Mr. Guzman presented an update on HIV-related policy issues. Mayor Mamdani released a preliminary 2027 NYC budget, which DOHMH Commissioner Alister Martin testified on before the City Council Health Committee. Advocates, including the End AIDS Coalition, have mobilized around it. The proposed budget restores $60M in annual funding to support core public health services and chronic disease prevention.
Governor Hochul signed the final 2027 State budget, which includes $1.5 billion in new Medicaid funding for certain health care facilities, but fails to provide for replacement health insurance for the estimated 450,000 New Yorkers set to lose coverage under the Essential Plan as of July 1, 2026, due to federal funding cuts under H.R.1. The White House released their proposed 2027 budget, which as it did last year, calls for large reductions in funding, including: eliminating Ryan White Part F, all HIV prevention programs, Minority AIDS Initiative (MAI) funding, and HOPWA. Ryan White Parts A, B, C and D, as well as Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) budgets are flat-funded. The House of Representatives advanced a budget that decreases all RW funding by 9%, but eliminates EHE-Ryan White funds and flat-funds HOPWA. The Senate has not released their proposal yet.
ADAP has added Naltrexone to its formulary to address opioid use disorder. UNAIDS released a Global AIDS Brief that highlights the need for domestic leadership to end the epidemic. Recent published research found that state laws that grant minors the right to independently consent to HIV and STI services have better rates of care. New research also shows that ending federal funding for syringe service programs will lead to increased overdose deaths. A federal court blocked the administration’s efforts to obtain medical records of minors seeking gender-affirming care in NYC.
The federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services released guidance for states on implementing new Medicaid work and community engagement requirements. Beginning January 1, 2027, states must require that certain adults meet a work requirement to enroll in or maintain Medicaid coverage upon eligibility renewal. Certain groups are exempted from the new work requirements, including people deemed “medically frail.” States will be required to establish lists of conditions that could potentially qualify a person as “medically frail.” PWH are considered medically frail if they are determined to have a serious or complex medical condition that significantly impairs the individual’s ability to comply with the work requirement.
The US Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published a proposed rule that would require federal agencies to overhaul funding opportunities to align with the Trump administration’s policies and priorities (e.g., prohibitions on activities related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), “gender ideology,”); grant greater authority to political appointees and senior officials to develop funding opportunities and manage award implementation; and allow OMB to suspend or terminate recipients’ funding if it determines termination is in the interest of federal agencies’ priorities. Finally, there were updates from the workgroups of the Joint PC/HPG Policy Committee on HIV and HVC testing in emergency departments, workforce issues, and sexual health education for young people.
The presentation was followed by questions and answers, including reciprocity of exemptions from the work requirements of SNAP and Medicaid requirements, the effect of the Supreme Court decision allowing the end of temporary protected status for some immigrants, and addressing the loss of essential health benefits due to the end of Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Agenda Item #7: Public Comment, Part II
M. Hilliard noted that attending programs, such as substance use counseling, should help meet the work requirements.
Mr. Klotz announced that nomination forms will go out soon for elections at July’s Council meeting for community co-chair and finance officer. In addition, Commissioner of Health Alister Martin will attend the meeting.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
