September 15, 2011
Dear Colleague:
This is a call for applications for membership on the 2012-2013 S.C. HIV Planning Council. We are seeking applications for membership from the following persons:
• Consumers who are living with my;
•HIV prevention providers in community organizations and local health departments;
• HIV care and support service providers in community settings and local health departments;
• Current HIV Planning Council members whose terms expire at the end of 2011;
• Other providers of services to persons living with HIV/AIDS (mental health, substance abuse, housing, etc.);
• Representatives of populations at risk for HIV and other STDs; and
• Interested community members.
The mission of the SC HIV Planning Council (HPC) is to develop a comprehensive, statewide HIV Prevention and Care Plan for a responsive, effective and efficient continuum of services for persons living with HIV/AIDS and those at risk for infection. The HPC works to integrate and streamline current planning activities for both HIV prevention and care services. The HPC includes 31 voting members, including the DHEC-appointed Co-Chair; three designated members representing the state agencies of Corrections, Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services, and Education, and three designated members representing Ryan White Parts B, C, and D programs (one each); and 24 at large members, representing prevention and care providers, consumers, and interested community members from across the state.
The 2011 Membership Committee of the HPC will review all qualified applications and make final selections to fill the vacancies of the 2012-2013 term, and will schedule interviews for the selected applicants on Wednesday and Thursday, November 9th and 10th, 2011. Criteria for determining the membership on the HPC includes the following:
1. Infected or affected by HIV;
2. At least two years experience providing HIV prevention and/or care services;
3. Expertise in the following HIV -related program services areas: HIV clinical care, case management, housing, mental health, substance use prevention or treatment, HIV counseling and testing services, partner services, comprehensive risk counseling services, and/or evidence-based health education/risk reduction programs;
4. Representation from a geographical area highly impacted by my; and,
5. Representative of priority populations for targeting prevention services: persons living with HIV, African American Men who have Sex with Men, African American Women who have Sex with Men, African American Men who have Sex with Women, White Men who have Sex with Men, Injecting Drug Users and Hispanics/Latinos/as).
Persons who are interested in serving on the HPC for the two-year 2012-2013 term must commit to attendance at all meetings of the full HPC (currently 5 day-long meetings each year) as well as active participation on the committee to which he/she is assigned. When someone is selected to serve on the HPC and represent a population, area or program, if he/she is absent that group is not represented with an active voice. Per the HPC By-Laws, if a member misses more than two meetings in a given year, he/she is removed from the HPC.
If you are interested in actively serving on the HPC, please complete the attached application and return it to the attention of Donald Wood, HPC Administrator, via mail at Capitol Consultants, PO Box 1763, Columbia, SC 29202, fax at 803-252-0589, or hand deliver to 1122 Lady Street, Suite 1115, Columbia, SC 29201. All applications must be completed and received no later than 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 7, 2011. The Membership Committee will meet on Friday, October 14th to review the applications and schedule interviews. As noted earlier, the committee's interviews will be held with prospective members on November 9th and 10th.
Following all the interviews, the Membership Committee will submit its recommendations to the Executive Committee, with a final determination and announcement of new members being made at the December 13th HPC meeting.
Please consider applying to be a part of this important planning process for South Carolina HIV prevention and care services.
With kindest regards,
Janet W. Tapp, MPH
Director, STDIHIV Division