HIV HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES PLANNING COUNCIL
OF NEW YORK
Thursday, June 26, 2025
3:05-5:45pm
By Zoom Videoconference
DRAFT MINUTES
Members Present: D. Klotz (Governmental Co-chair), D. Martin (Community Co-chair), B. Fields (Finance Officer), L. Cyrus, P. Carr, V. Decamps, J. Edwards, R. Ford, L. Francis, M. Gilborn, S. Hemraj, R. Henderson, M. Maia Soares, N. Martin, L. F. Molano, MD, B. Montes, J, Natt, C. Nuñez, J. Palmer, G. Plummer (ex-officio), L. Richberg, M. Rodriguez, L. Sabashvili, J. Schoepp
Members Absent: R. Babakhanian, M. Bacon, M. Baney, R. Brown, G. Bruckno, M. Caponi, J. Dudley, R. Fortunato, J. Goldenbridge, E. Kaywin, W. LaRock, H. Martinez, S. Safo, MD, M. Sedlacek, S. Stallings, T. Troia A. Tomlin, G. Ty
Staff Present: DOHMH: C. Quinn, MD, S. Braunstein, PhD, D. Saab, M. Navejas, A. Eppinger-Meiering, J. Acosta, A. Omeyoma, T. Leong-Pelrine, H. K. Mok; Public Health Solutions: B. Silver, A. Shahi; NYSDOH AIDS Institute: K. Bovell
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 in memory of former Council members and Consumers Committee co-chair Hilda Mateo. The minutes from the May 22, 2025 meeting were approved with no changes.
Agenda Item #2: Public Comment, Part I
Mr. Schoepp shared an article on recent advances in research towards an HIV cure.
Agenda Item #3: Recipient Report
Ms. Eppinger-Meiering reported updates from HRSA and other federal partners, including observance of HIV Long-Term Survivors Awareness Day and National HIV Testing Day. HRSA’s HIV/AIDS Bureau recently archived outdated policy documents to streamline information access. In December, the 2025 Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) Clinical Conference will bring together clinical leaders to strengthen HIV care. Locally, the NY EMA has submitted all FY2024 reports to HRSA on time and has released updated referral directories for both HOPWA and RWHAP Part A services. Planning is underway for the 2025 RWHAP Part A Provider Meeting in July, which will feature workshops focused on quality improvement and accessible programming. Additionally, capacity building efforts are being expanded through evidence-based trainings. Finally, BHHS leadership attended the 2025 NASTAD Annual Meeting, engaging in national conversations on public health policy and advocacy.
Agenda Item #4: GY 2024 Carryover Plan
Mr. Carr explained that carryover funds must be directed to “program services” benefiting people with HIV, serves as one-time enhancements late in the fiscal year (typically Sept/Oct), and must be fully spent by end of grant year (February 28, 2026) to avoid a penalty. There is$1.37 in uncommitted funds from GY 2024 available for carryover in GY 2025, and the amount is broken down into $699,727 in Base funds and $674,209 in MAI funds. MAI funds must be expended in one of the four MAI-funded categories. Based on an analysis by the Recipient, the proposal is to use all Base carryover for Food & Nutrition Services (FNS) in both NYC and Tri-County, and to use all MAI funds for ADAP. ADAP would also be available to absorb any funds that FNS programs are unable to expend by the end of the grant year. The FNS funds would be used to enhance food-based services (congregate meals, home-delivered meals, vouchers, and pantry bags): $592,077 in NYC, $107,650 in TC. It was noted that this is the smallest carryover since before the COVID pandemic.
A motion was made on behalf of the PSRA Committee and approved 22Y-0N to accept the GY 2024 carryover plan as presented.
Ms. Plummer thanked the Council for their partnership to approve the plan, which will be submitted to HRSA tomorrow.
Agenda Item #5: Assessment of the Administrative Mechanism
Mr. Fields explained that the Ryan White legislation requires planning councils to “assess the administrative mechanism for the rapid disbursement of Part A funds”. This means making sure that the Recipient spends as much of the grant as possible according to Planning Council’s priorities and allocations. In GY 2024, the Council received quarterly expenditure reports by service category and reports on a procurement process for several service categories. The assessment found no negative findings this year. The Recipient continues to improve its spending, resulting in the lowest carryover since before the COVID pandemic.
Mr. Klotz reviewed the details of the assessment, which uses four criteria: Executed Contracts/Renewals; Procurement; Subcontractor Payments; Spending. There are no negative findings this year. The Recipient continues to use processes implemented in previous years to expedite contract execution and payments so that all are completed within a required 45- or 30-day period as required by HRSA. The Recipient reported to the Council on the outcome of the procurement for Behavioral Health and Non-medical Case Management Services, and spending rates, as reported to the Council, improved dramatically, with end-of-year uncommitted funds at the lowest rate since before COVID.
A motion was made, seconded and approved 23Y-0N to accept the Assessment of the Administrative Mechanism as presented.
Agenda Item #6: 2027-31 Statewide Integrated HIV Prevention and Care Plan
A video by Karen Hagos of the NYSDOH AIDS Institute provided an overview of the Integrated Plan 2027-2031. She explained that the integrated HIV Prevention and Care Plan is a federally mandated initiative required by both the CDC and HRSA. Since 2016, it has been developed in collaboration with partners in New York City, Long Island and across the State to meet these requirements. Created approximately every five years—the most recent iteration being in 2021—the plan is designed to align with both the federally funded Ending the HIV Epidemic goals specific to New York City and the broader statewide Ending the Epidemic goals (diagnose, treat, prevent, respond). Central components of the Integrated Plan will include the an epidemiological profile, a resource directory, a statement of need, and a situational analysis, all of which is informed by community input and multiple data sets. The plan’s goals and objectives need to reflect strategies that ensure a comprehensive and coordinated approach for all HIV Prevention and Care funding. The plan will also describe how the plan will be implemented, monitored and evaluated. The intent is for the plan to be a document that is used as a tool by planning bodies, providers, policy makers and others.
In order to develop the Integrated Plan, NYSDOH also partners with planning bodies such as NYC HIV (Prevention) Planning Group, NY HIV Planning Council, and the Long Island Planning Council. The timeline and tasks for the development of the Plan were outlined, including extensive in-person and virtual community engagement. The Plan’s coordinating committee, which includes representatives from the Council and Recipient, will provide overall guidance. The Council will receive regular updates and review draft of the Plan, leading up to a Council vote on concurrent in advance of the submission of the Plan to HRSA and the CDC by June 2026.
Ms. Bovell discussed the elements of the community engagement process. In response to questions, she noted that HIV and aging has been a constant theme in the sessions and will be an important part of the plan. The AIDS Institute is also looking at avenues for more broadly publicizing the sessions to generate greater community input. There is also an email address that the community can use to submit comments.
Agenda Item #7: Federal HIV Funding Update and DOHMH Contingency Planning
Dr. Braunstein, Assistant Commissioner of BHHS, provided a review of federal HIV funding and its impact on DOHMH. She shared encouraging news that the Bureau had just received notice of award for its 2025 CDC HIV prevention grant, but cautioned that future allocations were uncertain, noting that the current administration could reconsider its stance. She stressed that she continues to work with local and state partners to minimize the impact on HIV funding cuts and prepare for the uncertainty of future funding. Dr. Braunstein also addressed the recent cancellation of NYCDOH’s Medical Monitoring Project (MMP) grant from the CDC. For nearly two decades, MMP had provided the city with valuable data on clinical and behavioral health outcomes. There were questions from Council members regarding the federal workforce and other related issues.
There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
