Comprehensively and Jurisdictionally
Yours
The Arkansas Planning
Group better known as "ARCPG" received and adopted a formative plan to be
considered by the Arkansas Department of Health in regards to HIV/AIDS
Prevention. The Center for Disease Control encourages the use of
collaborative efforts utilizing interested individuals and organizations within
the jurisdiction to offer insights and observations as to what the plan should
consist of and how its implemented with the community. For ARCPG, this task was
plagued with uncertainty, delays, shifting participation, and other stifling
roadblocks that had to be overcome before meeting submission deadlines. However, under the leadership of The Living Affected's CEO, Diedra Levi, the plan was pushed through to fruition utilizing a series of meeting ranging from scheduled in-person meetings to high tech media connections. All in an attempt to open the process to as many who wanted to participate. Despite best efforts to widely circulate the plan, there still may have been some entities that were missed or
accidentally left out of the information loop. With the September submission of the jurisdictional plan, ADH concludes that the plan will continue to evolve as a working document and further input will be sought from all stakeholders involved.
Yet despite all the back story, what's more important is the fact that this plan should be leveraged within a coordinated and strategic advocacy campaign to educate legislative policy makers as to the plight of "HIV/AIDS 2012" in the state of Arkansas. This compelling information should not be simply submitted to the CDC as a "year end tool" to meet a deliverable but rather it should be the definitive package to lobby our body politic on why Arkansas needs to develop a line item funding stream for HIV/AIDS prevention within the state budget. Although there are plans to follow through on a "Opt-Out" legislative piece, ultimately what's needed is approximately $1.5 Million to fund the section and the vital work of defining a plan of how to get the known over 4,000 persons into a care continuum . Furthermore it is imperative that the tenants of the plan become energized in conjunction to President Obama's National HIV AIDS Strategy as illustrated by The Living Affected's HEFTE concept that "it takes a village of providers to be in the game to end HIV and AIDS in Arkansas."
This is most critically apparent in lieu of governmental budget adjustments that will force the local ADH HIV/HEP C Section to trim its internal systems including being unable to provide oraquick test services to local community based organizations whom often provide free additional testing opportunities into marginalized communities. Its unfathomable to think that many local CBO's could absorb the cost of $360 per box of 25 plus associated cost of shipping and controls, which would escalate the cost beyond budget constraints. Therefore, "awareness day events" and other possible testing opportunities connected with HIV prevention would be severely hampered if agencies have to include test cost within their budget justifications juxtaposed to other provided activities. Only large entities such as Jefferson Comprehensive Care or ARCARE could approach such cost even though testing is not their primary focus.
Also in this mix is the continuing questions of ADH's Hep C/ HIV/AIDS section's ability in determining if our tracking processes are factual considering bordering states such as Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana are being designated as areas facing undue infection burdens while Arkansas' numbers appear to be fluid while now under review. Its imperative that if there are discrepancies, that these be solved and processes upgraded in data capturing allowing this state to compete with other funding opportunities.
Consequently the impact of the affordable care act and how the social determinants known as the "HEFTE" concept will be included in the care delivery system were not central to the jurisdictional plan nor the shifting demographics that will need further assessment and inclusion. COP 24/7 applauds the collaborative work that brought the plan to completion, but firmly believes that " if you make a plan, then you must "work" the plan that you've made." Nothing good comes of something sitting on a shelf waiting for someone else to use it. If you are interested in accessing this information contact the Arkansas Department of Health's Hep C/HIV/AIDS Section. Feel free to share your feedback at info@lacorponline.org
Yet despite all the back story, what's more important is the fact that this plan should be leveraged within a coordinated and strategic advocacy campaign to educate legislative policy makers as to the plight of "HIV/AIDS 2012" in the state of Arkansas. This compelling information should not be simply submitted to the CDC as a "year end tool" to meet a deliverable but rather it should be the definitive package to lobby our body politic on why Arkansas needs to develop a line item funding stream for HIV/AIDS prevention within the state budget. Although there are plans to follow through on a "Opt-Out" legislative piece, ultimately what's needed is approximately $1.5 Million to fund the section and the vital work of defining a plan of how to get the known over 4,000 persons into a care continuum . Furthermore it is imperative that the tenants of the plan become energized in conjunction to President Obama's National HIV AIDS Strategy as illustrated by The Living Affected's HEFTE concept that "it takes a village of providers to be in the game to end HIV and AIDS in Arkansas."
This is most critically apparent in lieu of governmental budget adjustments that will force the local ADH HIV/HEP C Section to trim its internal systems including being unable to provide oraquick test services to local community based organizations whom often provide free additional testing opportunities into marginalized communities. Its unfathomable to think that many local CBO's could absorb the cost of $360 per box of 25 plus associated cost of shipping and controls, which would escalate the cost beyond budget constraints. Therefore, "awareness day events" and other possible testing opportunities connected with HIV prevention would be severely hampered if agencies have to include test cost within their budget justifications juxtaposed to other provided activities. Only large entities such as Jefferson Comprehensive Care or ARCARE could approach such cost even though testing is not their primary focus.
Also in this mix is the continuing questions of ADH's Hep C/ HIV/AIDS section's ability in determining if our tracking processes are factual considering bordering states such as Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana are being designated as areas facing undue infection burdens while Arkansas' numbers appear to be fluid while now under review. Its imperative that if there are discrepancies, that these be solved and processes upgraded in data capturing allowing this state to compete with other funding opportunities.
Consequently the impact of the affordable care act and how the social determinants known as the "HEFTE" concept will be included in the care delivery system were not central to the jurisdictional plan nor the shifting demographics that will need further assessment and inclusion. COP 24/7 applauds the collaborative work that brought the plan to completion, but firmly believes that " if you make a plan, then you must "work" the plan that you've made." Nothing good comes of something sitting on a shelf waiting for someone else to use it. If you are interested in accessing this information contact the Arkansas Department of Health's Hep C/HIV/AIDS Section. Feel free to share your feedback at info@lacorponline.org
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