The Planning Council...
Use of Part A Ryan White funds is guided by planning, which takes place through the planning council established by the chief elected official (CEO) of each eligible metropolitan area/transitional grant area (EMA/TGA). The planning council is not advisory. It has legislative authority to carry out its assigned tasks, along with roles recommended by HRSA's HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB), Division of Service Systems (DSS).
The planning council takes the lead in conducting many of its legislated responsibilities and shares duties with the grantee in some areas. To guarantee that a broad range of ideas are heard, the planning council membership must reflect specific areas of expertise as well as disproportionately affected and historically underserved populations.
Each planning council's responsibilities include the following:
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Establish operations to make planning tasks function smoothly. Examples include procedures for membership (e.g., nominations procedures to secure new members), decision making (e.g., open meeting processes, grievance procedures related to funding decisions, conflict of interest), and other tasks.
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Assess the EMA's/TGA's HIV/AIDS service needs and gaps. This includes determining the needs of those who know their HIV status but are not receiving HIV-related primary medical care, as well as disparities in access to care across affected groups. This assessment must include a public process to obtain community input on needs and priorities.
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Establish priorities for the allocation of funds. Decisions are to be data-based, including consideration of needs assessment results; the cost effectiveness and outcome effectiveness of funded services; priorities in HIV-infected communities within the EMA/TGA; and the availability of other governmental and nongovernmental resources.
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Develop a comprehensive plan for the organization and delivery of HIV services that is compatible with existing State and local plans. As part of the plan, the EMA/TGA must coordinate use of Ryan White dollars with other programs, including prevention and substance abuse services. Part of this is done through participation in the development of a Statewide Coordinated Statement of Need (SCSN), which is a mechanism Ryan White programs use to address HIV/AIDS care issues and enhance coordination.
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