Florida HIV/AIDS Advocacy Network (FHAAN)

Transcription

1 Florida HIV/AIDS Advocacy Network (FHAAN) Monthly Convening Group Meeting Notes and Action Items Date: Monday May 23, 2011 Time: 2:00 p.m. (ET) 3:00 p.m. (ET) , # Executive Committee Jesse Fry (Co-Chair) Joey Wynn (Co-Chairs) Ted Howard (Administrator) Committee Co-Chairs James Talley & Ted Howard (Focus) Cathy Robinson-Pickett & Ken Bargar (Membership) Jesse Fry & Michael Ruppal (Advocacy) Agenda Discussion Plan of Action Welcome/Roll Call Quorum Determination Meeting Guidelines Review of FHAAN Missions, Goals and Objectives Quorum = 33% (3 of 8 required) Met = 88% (7 of 8) Mute phone when in listen mode. Do not place your phone on hold. State your name prior to speaking. Abide by our FHAAN Operating Agreement, Process and Code of Conduct. Florida HIV/AIDS Advocacy Network (FHAAN) advocates for statewide HIV/AIDS resources including education, policies, programs, funding and legislation. To ensure that Federal & State Legislators, the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of HIV/AIDS staff and local leaders are continuously in touch with their constituents needs and are supportive of the following: 1. Effective research-supported community prevention programs; 2. Access to adequate, culturally appropriate and stigma-free, care, treatment, housing and social/support services 3. Biomedical, clinical, and behavioral research; 4. Adequate funding for all aforementioned programs; and 5. Protection of the dignity of all people living with or at risk for HIV/AIDS, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religious belief. Minutes Review/Approval from Previous Meeting Objectives: In collaboration with local, state, regional and national organizations, FHAAN will develop and implement 1. Public policy, education and advocacy strategies; 2. Engage in message development and media activities; and 3. Support community mobilization and grassroots activism.

2 COMMITTEE REPORTS AND DISCUSSIONS: Executive Committee Joey Wynn, Jesse Fry and Ted Howard Product and Policy Advocacy Committee Jesse Fry and Michel Ruppal 1. Legislative Session/Budget Update FHAAN Update on 2011 Legislative Session In the last hours of the 2011 Session, the Florida Legislature voted to pass a $69 billion budget. The following is a summary of important budget allocations for HIV/AIDS: Ryan White It is unfortunate news to report, but the increases of $3 million for ADAP and $2 million for AICP were not adopted into the final draft of the budget bill, and DOH funding is essentially flat. While that is not the news we would have liked, we are fortunate that -- in a budget bill that contains massive health care cuts there were no cuts to Ryan White program funding, at all. For instance, the Medicaid hospital reimbursement rate was cut by about 12 percent that s $510 million. In the budget bill, some of the Ryan White state matching funds, that came from non-recurring general revenue last year, were replaced by money from tobacco trust funds (about $2.5 million) and budget authority to spend federal money, plus some cash, and the credit that HRSA allows for providing care to PLWHA inmates, brings us up to level funding for ADAP for the budget calendar that spans July 1, 2011 through June 30, AICP funding remains intact, as well. FHAAN did an amazing job, as a community, advocating for these programs. We laid ground work that will take us into the summer, when the governor signs or vetoes bills, and beyond. It is not expected that the governor will line out any meaningful parts of the budget; as you know, Florida governors have line-item veto power. Medicaid A sweeping, and as it has been described in the press, mammoth Medicaid reform bill is expected to pass, as well. I ll be reporting out on the Medicaid bill in more detail after it is recorded, which takes about a week after, because it takes time for all of the amendments to be engrossed. For those of you following recent news, you know the bill essentially expands the Medicaid reform pilot in several Florida counties, and would mean that most Medicaid patients would have to choose a managed-care plan. However, the state needs a waiver to implement the bill, and the federal government has recently denied permission for the state to go ahead with statewide Medicaid managed care. That denial will not likely deter the bill from being passed, and in essence, this has all just begun. When or if the managed care plans are slated to come online, our next challenging task as a community will be making sure that Floridians living with AIDS and on Medicaid know what lies ahead, and are fully knowledgeable about how they can make the best plan choices for their care. MEDS-AD and Medically Needy To end this report on a brighter note, two vital Medicaid 1115 waiver programs the state already have were spared cuts or elimination in the budget bill. The MEDS- AD program, as well as Medically Needy, will remain as important safety net programs. Almost 2,000 Floridians living with AIDS rely on the Medically Needy program to get their medications. The Road Ahead We don t want anyone to be deterred by what some might perceive as dreadful news. Advocacy is an on-going, year-round process, and we have made tremendous inroads to return to the robust advocacy activities that have brought us so many remarkable achievements, over the years. Let s all resolve to press on, regardless, because we know that we have the truth on our side. Bill #s , Jesse sending to Ted to send out.

3 2. DOH Public Hearing/Eligibility Advocates Come Out in Force for Four Regional Department of Health s Public Hearings More than 300 online submissions and approximately 1,000 written and spoken testimonials submitted to Suzanne Stevens in opposition to lowering the FPL Suzanne will soon be delivering a summary report to FHAAN and the public with the exact figures for these Public Hearings Joey Regional Trainings Focus and Structure Committee James Talley and Ted Howard Membership Committee Cathy Robinson-Pickett and Ken Bargar Old Business: Joey HRSA: Our Response to Joe May Response Lists/Members Process New Committee Co-Chairs Process Pre Exposure Prophylactics 1 FHAAN Response: FHAAN to create list of questions (Joey to complete in next 48 hours) FHAAN CG to review Statewide review/input 2 TAI to host webinar soon (tentatively 6/8) for DOH and community: HRSA Response ADAP $ (no one dropped, cut in other areas, transparency) Open to FHAAN and all interested. 3 How is the community going to be involved? / transparency required 4 What is future for Tom Liberti, Lorraine Wells? Opt-In (not opt-out) Non-Members in listserv = Info Only Use Operating Agreement s committees to elect their co-chairs DOH staff need to ask about the DOH use with FHAAN work Joey sending list/articles. Jesse sending WSJ article.

4 Announcements: Set Agenda for Next Full FHAAN Webinar: Monday June 2pm (ET) Standing Committee Reports: Facilitate Meeting/Exec: Jesse Policy: Jesse/Michael Structure: James/Ted Membership: Cathy/Ken Next FHAAN Monthly Convening Group Meeting: Monday June 6, 2pm (ET) FORTH Monday of each Month Location: Webinar (online registration to be delivered by one week in advance) , # (Thanks to Mick Sullivan with Tibotec)

5 Executive Committee Florida HIV/AIDS Advocacy Network (FHAAN) advocates for statewide HIV/AIDS resources including education, policies, programs, funding and legislation. To ensure that Federal & State Legislators, the Florida Department of Health, Bureau of HIV/AIDS staff and local leaders are continuously in touch with their constituents needs and are supportive of the following: 1. Effective research-supported community prevention programs; 2. Access to adequate, culturally appropriate and stigma-free, care, treatment, housing and social/support services 3. Biomedical, clinical, and behavioral research; 4. Adequate funding for all aforementioned programs; and 5. Protection of the dignity of all people living with or at risk for HIV/AIDS, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religious belief. Objectives: In collaboration with local, state, regional and national organizations, FHAAN will develop and implement 1. Public policy, education and advocacy strategies; 2. Engage in message development and media activities; and 3. Support community mobilization and grassroots activism. Focus and Structure Committee Create and manage the structure, processes and documentation to set-up FHAAN for success. 1. Organizational Structure. 2. About Us. 3. Member Application. 4. Operating Agreements. 5. Web-based shared communication systems (listservs, documents, etc). 6. Meetings Structure/Process. Product and Policy Advocacy Committee To identify our audiences and educate them on our issues: A. Materials: 1. Introduction Letter. 2. Priority Issues 1-Pagers. 3. Fact Sheets 1-Pagers. 4. Snap-Shots. B. Audience C. Education

6 Membership Committee Grow membership and enhance membership involvement to help meet member needs and meet the needs of FHAAN members by this time next year. Objectives: Go over current membership list to A. Evaluate who we have, see who wants to stay on and who does not. B. Invite more people at various locations such as; Advocacy Groups: Consumers: black, Latino, PCPG, PPG, Etc. C. Establish or reinforce an advocacy chair at each Ryan White consortia and planning council Strategy Points: 1. ID Contact info for all these folks. Create database. 2. Communications to each of these people 3. ID Overlap within our FHAAN membership 4. New Florida Legislative contacts