The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #49195

Julie A. Doyle and Christopher Schmitt. Planning, Houston Regional HIV/AIDS Resource Group, 500 Lovett Blvd. Suite 100, Houston, TX 77006, 713-526-1016, jdoyle@hivresourcegroup.org

In the last year the Texas Department of Health restructured the 26 Ryan White Title II planning areas and planning administrative agencies (PAA) across the state of Texas into 7 planning areas and PAAs. Due to the restructuring, East Texas’s 6 planning bodies were integrated into one Assembly group or the State of Texas Assembly Group East. While the changes in planning areas allow for a more integrated planning process, less time commitment, a less intimidating process, and the chance for individuals to participate in any or all levels of the planning process, they also have significantly increased the work and geographical area for which each PAA is now responsible. The Houston Regional HIV/AIDS Resource Group is one of the first PAAs across the state to successfully implement the new planning process. Planning staff must address the challenges of planning for a large geographical area with diverse local epidemics, cultures, and levels of social acceptability of living with HIV/AIDS. The most essential task is to recruit and maintain participation of local community members across the large planning area while keeping community focus in the forefront of the planning process. Without this community involvement it would not be possible to develop effective standards of care, quality management program, conduct a comprehensive service delivery plan, produce a comprehensive needs assessment, or set service priorities and allocations. This new planning process, while daunting at times, allows for an increased level of community input and, ultimately, a more complete comprehensive delivery of HIV/AIDS services.

Learning Objectives: Learning objectives will include understanding how to work with communities to

• develop and maintain a regional HIV care and prevention planning body;
• develop standards of care and a quality management program;
• set service priorities and allocations;
• conduct a comprehensive needs assessment; and
• produce a comprehensive service delivery plan. Participants will also leave with a planning model that can be replicated in their area.

Keywords: Community, Planning

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.