FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Select a category below for more information on the NHFF Planning Council and the Ryan White Program.

NHFF PLANNING COUNCIL FAQ'S

What is the New Haven/Fairfield Ryan White Planning Council?

The New Haven/Fairfield Ryan White Planning Council is a federally mandated community group of dedicated volunteers appointed by the Mayor of the City of New Haven/Fairfield, CT to plan the organization and delivery of Ryan White Part A HIV/AIDS services.

The Planning Council takes the lead in conducting many of its legislated responsibilities and shares duties with the grantee in some areas. To guarantee that a broad range of ideas are heard, the planning council membership must reflect specific areas of expertise as well as disproportionately affected and historically underserved populations.

The Planning Council completes its work through a structure of committees and subcommittees all of which are open to the public.

What does the Planning Council do?

The Council has several major duties, including:

Determine the size and demographics of the population of individuals with HIV/AIDS.
Determining the needs of people living with HIV/AIDS, especially those not in care, affected subpopulations and historically under served communities.
Setting priorities for the allocation of funds.
Developing a comprehensive plan for the organization and delivery of health services.
Assessing the efficiency of the grant administration and the effectiveness of services.
Establishing data driven methods (focus groups, Ad Hoc panels, public meetings, etc.) which focus on community needs and priorities.
Defining Standards of Care for services provided to people living with HIV/AIDS.
Coordinate with Federal, State and local grantees that provide HIV-related services.
Be available to facilitate and collaborate with all funded AIDS programs, including but not limited to: the CARE Act Part A, B, C, D and F, housing opportunities for people living with AIDS (HOPWA) funds and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funds.
Participate in the development of the Statewide Coordinated Statement of Need (SCSN) initiated by the State Public Health agency responsible for administering grants under Part B (Title II)

The Council has a mandate to focus on people who are not in care (i.e. not receiving medical care) by assessing their needs and developing programs to bring them into care.

The Planning Council and its Committees use parliamentary procedure or Robert’s Rules of Order to conduct meetings.

When and where does the Planning Council meet?

During the COVID-19 pandemic, all meetings will be held virtually via ZOOM Meetings. Each committee usually meets once a month. The Council can create ad hoc work groups to address short-term projects.

For a more comprehensive schedule of meetings, please see the Committee Calendar link. Or you can download the 2024 meeting schedule here.

How can I find out about the PC meeting times and agendas?

The Planning Council has a website, www.nhffryanwhitehivaidscare.org which includes upcoming Council meeting times and agendas, locations, and minutes from full Council and committee meetings.

For more information, please contact Planning Council support staff at the following email: seaburg@collaborativeresearch.us

How do you contact PC members or staff?

If you have any questions or need additional information please contact the Ryan White Planning Council Support Staff at 877-336-5503.

The mailing address is:

Ryan White Office

54 Meadow Street, 9th Floor

New Haven, CT 06519

Email: seaburg@collaborativeresearch.us

Who is on the Council?

The Planning Council is comprised of forty-five (45) members who serve a 2-year term with the option to be considered for two additional terms.

The Council is to be representative of race, ethnicity, culture, gender, geography, consumer and care service categories.

Members are selected for their expertise, knowledge, ability and willingness to view the entire HIV/AIDS system and its unique characteristics and should be reflective of the epidemic in the Greater New Haven/Fairfield, CT. region.

Who makes up the Planning Council?

The Planning Council is comprised of various share holders in the community who directly or indirectly interact with the HIV/AIDS community and who have a vested interest to ensure that the best possible services are provided to ensure a positive and healthy outcome for those served.

One of the most important components of the Planning Council membership and the reason why this program has been so successful over the years is the mandated requirement that one-third (33%) of Planning Council membership be consumers of services provided by the TGA.

The involvement of the community is vital in ensuring that the funds are indeed being expended to their maximum benefit.

If I'm interested in joining the Council, how do I join?

Membership application forms are available from Council staff and on the Council web site at the Planning Council Membership page.

Please complete the application, and sign the Statement of Member Commitment. Return the completed form to:

Ryan White Office

54 Meadow Street, 9th Floor

New Haven, CT 06519

ph: 877-336-5503

Email: seaburg@collaborativeresearch.us

Who nominates the Members?

The Membership/Finance (MF) Committee reviews applications of potential applicants on an ongoing basis.

The Membership/Finance Committee selects nominees and forwards names to the full Council.

What is the membership process?

A membership application for nomination to the Council is available to anyone who requests them and are kept with Planning Council Staff and on the NHFF EMA website
Persons may nominate themselves or persons may be nominated by someone else.
Completed applications are submitted in confidence to the Membership/Finance Committee, which is representative of the Council (delivery instructions are included with nomination form).
Nominees may be recruited by the Membership/Finance Committee in conjunction with the Planning Council as a whole in accordance with a plan that outlines target populations for recruitment.
The Membership/Finance Committee will review nominations on an ongoing basis and go into Executive Session to discuss confidential information as needed.

What is the term of office?

All terms of Planning Council members shall be for two (2) years and shall commence of the first (1) day of June and end on May 31st.

It is recommended that terms be staggered with members serving no more than three (3) consecutive two-year terms.

An individual may be eligible for an additional appointment after rotating off the Council for one (1) calendar year and are members in good standing with the Council.

Council members must meet the meeting attendance requirements to stay in good standing.

Can I participate without being a member?

All Council meetings and committee meetings are open to the public.

Public comment is taken at the beginning of each full Council meeting and during the meeting on each agenda item.

Members of the public are encouraged to participate in the discussions at committee and work group meetings.

For more information:

Ryan White Office

54 Meadow Street, 9th Floor

New Haven, CT 06519

ph: 877-336-5503

Email: seaburg@collaborativeresearch.us

What area does it cover?

The NHFF Ryan White Program covers the following regions and the cities/towns within each:

REGION 1: NEW HAVEN

Branford
East Haven
Guilford
Hamden
Madison
Milford
New Haven
North Branford
North Haven
Orange
West Haven
Woodbridge

REGION 2: WATERBURY

Ansonia
Beacon Falls
Bethany
Cheshire
Derby
Meriden
Middlebury
Naugatuck
Oxford
Prospect
Seymour
Southbury
Wallingford
Waterbury
Wolcott

REGION 3: BRIDGEPORT

Bridgeport
Easton
Fairfield
Monroe
Shelton
Stratford
Trumbull

REGION 4: STAMFORD/NORWALK

Darien
Greenwich
New Canaan
Norwalk
Stamford
Weston
Westport
Wilton

REGION 5: DANBURY

Bethel
Bridgewater
Brookfield
Danbury
New Fairfield
Newtown
Redding
Ridgefield
Sherman

RYAN WHITE PROGRAM FAQ'S

Why was the Ryan White Program created?

On August 18, 1990, Congress enacted the Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act— the legislation that created the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program—to improve the quality and availability of HIV care and treatment for low-income people with HIV.

What is the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Modernization Act?

The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Modernization Act was recently reauthorized in December of 2006. It redefined funded areas into two subsets:

EMAs or Eligible Metropolitan Areas
TGAs or Transitional Grant Areas.

Prior to 2007, the legislation had been known as the Ryan White CARE Act. This federal legislation was originally passed in 1990 and reauthorized in 1995, 2000 and 2006. It authorized spending federal dollars for HIV health services through five different titles or parts.

It was envisioned as a disaster relief bill to help cities and states overwhelmed by the costs of caring for people with HIV/AIDS. It helps support a comprehensive continuum of HIV health services for low-income people living with HIV.

What is Ryan White Part A?

Part A (previously Title I) funds go directly to the urban areas hardest hit by HIV/AIDS. Provides assistance to Eligible Metropolitan Areas (EMAs) and Transitional Grant Areas (TGAs)—locales that are most severely affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

When the first Part A grants were awarded in FY 1991, there were 16 EMAs. Today, 24 EMA's and 28 TGA's receive funding.

In FY 2010, approximately $679.1 million was appropriated for Part A spending.

What is Ryan White Part B?

Part B (previously Title II) provides grants to States and U.S. Territories.Part B grants include a base grant, the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) award, ADAP supplemental grants, grants to States for Emerging Communities, and an award for Minority AIDS Initiative activities.

For FY 2010, $1.25 billion was appropriated for Part B programs, and $835 million was earmarked for ADAP.

For FY 2010 $8.4 million was awarded for MAI activities in 33 States, the District of Columbia , Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands

What is Ryan White Part C?

Part C (previously Title III) provides grants for community-based organizations, clinics, hospitals, and other health facilities that provide early intervention services to people infected with HIV/AIDS through intravenous drug use. The FY 2010 appropriation for Part C EIS was $206.8 million. Since FY 1991, approximately $1.85 billion has been appropriated for Part C programs.

In FY 2009, 253 organizations received grants totaling approximately $187.1 million.

What is Ryan White Part D?

Part D funds family-centered primary care for women, infants, children, and youth with HIV/AIDS and specialty medical care and support services. Since 1994, the Part D Program has provided more than $681.6 million in funding to States and communities.

The Part D Program has played a significant part in reducing mother-to-child HIV transmission.

What is Ryan White Part F?

Part F covers: the AIDS Education and Training Centers (AETC) training for health care providers.

It's responsible for the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Dental Reimbursement Program (DRP) for agencies to reimburse the uncompensated costs incurred by agencies in providing oral health treatment to PLWHA as well as funds the Community Based Dental Partnership Program (CBDPP) which provides oral health care in the community and also trains dental professionals.

Finally, Part F is home to the Special Programs of National Significance (SPNS) models of care.

Who administers the Program?

The Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) administers the programs on the federal level. They are a part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

<insert sub-grantee here> provides day-to-day administration on the local level.

What are Ryan White funds used for?

Ryan White funds pay for primary medical care, dental care, substance abuse treatment, mental health care, case management, and dental health services.

In addition, 25% of total funds can be used for support services that help people get into medical care or stay in care such as housing assistance. It also pays for Planning Council staff and activities such as needs assessment, evaluation, comprehensive planning and grant administration.

The funds are distributed to community-based organizations, public health programs, community health clinics, and hospitals.

Are there things that the funds can’t be used for?

Yes.

The Federal government has a number of restrictions on funding:

The money cannot be spent on capital improvements or construction.
It cannot pay for permanent housing services.
It must be used as the payer of last resort, meaning that if a service can be paid for somewhere else, such as billed to Medicaid, it cannot be paid for by Ryan White Part A.
Money also cannot be given directly to consumers.

The ability to use funds for counseling and testing or prevention services is limited.

Who can get services?

Ryan White Part A services are for people living with HIV/AIDS who are low income and uninsured or underinsured. Programs or agencies may have additional eligibility criteria, such as disability.

Services are prioritized for those with the most severe needs, such as those who are homeless or who have multiple diagnoses.

What are Ryan White Part A services and where are they available?

Core and Support Services are available to HIV infected persons who meet eligibility requirements regardless of age, race, ethnicity, religion, gender, and sexual orientation.

For a listing of locations please go to the Services page on this website.

For a brief description and listing of services standards offered, please go to the Service Standards page.

Core medical services may include:

outpatient and ambulatory health services
pharmaceutical assistance
oral health care
early intervention services
health insurance premium and cost-sharing assistance
home health care
medical nutrition therapy
hospice services
home and community-based health services
mental health services,
outpatient substance abuse care, and
medical case management, including treatment-adherence services.

Support services may include:

outreach
medical transportation
linguistic services
respite care for caregivers of people with HIV
referrals for health care and other support services
non-medical case management, and
residential substance abuse treatment services.