shyronn-jones-laptopDecember 23, 2016

by Shyronn Jones, PWN-USA Georgia Strategic Communications Action Team Rep

December 21, 2016, I attended the Metropolitan Atlanta HIV Health Services Planning Council (MAHHSPC) Consumer Caucus Meeting. The MAHHSPC is also known as the Ryan White Part A Planning Council and is the legislatively mandated planning body for the Ryan White Part A Program. The Planning Council responsibilities include identifying the needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS, preparing a comprehensive plan, setting priorities for the allocation of funding, and evaluating how well services meet community needs within a 20 County Eligible Metropolitan Area (EMA). APPLICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP ARE CURRENTLY OPEN AND CAN BE ACCESSED AT www.surveymonkey.com/r/mahhspc2017. Upcoming council meeting times and agendas can be found on the Planning Council website.

The next meeting of the Planning Council will be held on January 19, 2017, with a continental breakfast at 8:30 AM and the meeting beginning at 9 AM! The meeting will be held in the fourth floor conference room of the Aldredge Health Center located at 99 Jesse Hill Drive. The next Consumer Caucus meeting will be held at 12:00 pm on January 18, 2017, at Atlanta Legal AID Society, 54 Ellis Street, Atlanta, Georgia 30303. The Planning Council has a particular focus on individuals who know their HIV status but are not in medical care. MAHHSPC Annual Atlanta Area Outreach Initiative (AAOI) focuses on care and treatment for those persons living with HIV-AIDS as well as prevention strategies for those who are not living with HIV-AIDS but are at high risk for transmission of the virus. AAOI brings service providers and people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS together. The conference will be held on February 4, 2017, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM at The Loudermilk Center located at 40 Courtland Street Northeast Atlanta, GA. REGISTER FOR THE 18TH ANNUAL ATLANTA AREA OUTREACH INITIATIVE (AAOI) here. For more information, please call 404-613-AAOI (2264) or email [email protected]

In the new year, MAHHSPC will host NEW CAUCUSES and WORK GROUPS to include the following demographic areas: WOMEN, TRANSGENDER, HETEROSEXUAL MEN, YOUTH, SENIORS and MSM (Men who have sex with men). Kim Moon, Second Vice Chair of MAHHSPC, and I (Shyronn Jones of the Positive Women’s Network-USA) will be the Co-Chairs of the Women’s Caucus of the Metropolitan Atlanta HIV Health Services Planning Council. The Women’s Caucus will host its first meeting in January 2017. Ken Lazarus, Chair Metropolitan Atlanta HIV Health Services Planning Council Kim Moon, 2nd Vice-Chair Metropolitan Atlanta HIV Health Services Planning Council Reggie Dunbar, Housing Vice-Chair/ Policy and Resource-Vice Chair Metropolitan Atlanta HIV Health Services Planning Council fa7a74dd   PICTURED Ken Lazarus, Chair Metropolitan Atlanta HIV Health Services Planning Council Kim Moon, 2nd Vice-Chair Metropolitan Atlanta HIV Health Services Planning Council Reggie Dunbar, Housing Vice-Chair/ Policy and Resource-Vice Chair Metropolitan Atlanta HIV Health Services Planning Council OTHER OFFICERS Sandra Vincent, Project Officer Metropolitan Atlanta HIV Health Services Planning Council Timothy Webb, Chair Consumer Caucus of the Metropolitan Atlanta HIV Health Services Planning Council Trevor Pearson, First Vice Chair Metropolitan Atlanta HIV Health Services Planning Council CONTACT INFORMATION Metropolitan Atlanta HIV Health Services Planning Council (MAHHSPC) Ryan White Program Office 137 Peachtree Street, First Floor Atlanta, GA 30303 PHONE: 404-612-1323 PHONE: 404-612-8285 EMAIL: [email protected] WEBSITE: www.mahhspc.org 2016 Atlanta Area Outreach Initiative (AAOI) RESOURCE BOOK http://mahhspc.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/aaoi_resource_2016_web.pdf