Michigan HIV/AIDS Council (MHAC) Meeting Archives

MHAC Meeting Summaries and Materials

Michigan HIV/AIDS Council May 14, 2009

The Michigan HIV/AIDS Council met in Eaton Rapids on May 14, and the room was filled with over 90 members, advisors and guests.  The agenda was packed with committee reports, presentations and discussions for change in the status quo.  It was also a day of welcome and farewell.

Chris Ramazzotti co-chaired his first MHAC meeting along with veteran Community Co-chair Paula Sirls and MDCH Chair Debra Szwejda. Amna Osman made her first return visit to the group since her appointment as Director of the MDCH Division of Health, Wellness and Disease Control.  Amna discussed the state of affairs for the Division and her recommendations for moving forward with MHAC.  Dr. Renee McCoy, who has directed the HIV/AIDS Program at the Detroit Department of Health and Wellness for the past two years, announced that she will be leaving her position this summer to move to Seattle.

The Needs Assessment & Comprehensive Planning Committees have continued to be productive since that last MHAC meeting, with an extensive look at evidenced-based interventions for each priority population, and how these interventions best address the needs in the state.  It was requested that the definitions of the Michigan evidence-based interventions be sent to MHAC electronically since handouts were not available at the meeting.  (See the four populations and categories of specific prevention needs and types of interventions that the committee reviewed; also the listing of Intervention Definitions linked below.)

The Membership Committee recommended several changes to the MHAC Policies and Procedures that were approved by the Council.  Previously, members were selected for a three-year term and could re-apply for a second three-year term.  Now, if a member chooses to re-apply for a third three-year term, the individual will need to address the Council directly as to why they should be able to re-apply and the request will no longer be made through the Membership Committee. The Community Co-Chair term limit was set at two, two-year terms. Members who let their membership lapse, who do not complete the application and submit by the deadline requested, must wait until the following year to reapply.  Also, resignations submitted are effective immediately and cannot be rescinded.  If you resign, and change your mind, you must re-apply the following year.  No exceptions will be made for any of the above policies.

MHAC Member Karen Schrock presented with her coalition of partners for the Adult Well Being Services SAMHSA* Grant project, S.H.A.P.E.  This project pulls AWBS together with the Arab American Chaldean Council, the Coalition on Temporary Shelter and the Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation to promote healthy choices and Stop HIV/AIDS and Addiction through Prevention and Education in minority women age 50 and older. For more information on this very, outside-the-box initiative, call (313) 925-1135.

Project ABLE, a culturally-tailored HIV risk reduction for African-American MSM (African-Americans Building Life Empowerment) was presented by MHAC member Royale Theus and Michigan AIDS Coalition’s Project ABLE Coordinator Wayne Stallworth. This research project , led by the Center for AIDS Intervention Research (CAIR) at Medical College of Wisconsin, is testing the value of extended and enhanced,  culturally specific interventions on risk behavior among young African American MSM. MAC is one of two teams providing the interventions for this small randomized control trial study. Like the Michigan home-grown POP (Prevention Options for Positives) did for its research with PWAs,  this project compares  the relative effectiveness of a  rapid HIV testing and counseling risk reduction intervention (HCT-only) to an enhanced intervention that includes the HCT intervention plus a theory-based and culturally tailored small group intervention designed to reduce HIV and STI risk behavior (HCT-plus). For more information, see the PowerPoint presentation made at MHAC or call Wayne Stallworth at MAC, (248) 545-1435 ext. 111.

MDCH-DHWDC liaison with the Michigan Department of Corrections, Ray Cotton, provided an overview of the collaboration between the two departments to provide prisoner HIV counseling and referral services, as well as STD and Hepatitis prevention education through the prisoner peer education program that Cotton coordinates. There was a lot of information in a brief presentation and Cotton recommends attending his workshop at the STD & HIV Conference to be held in Kalamazoo in October.

The Survey of MHAC members, taken at the March meeting, was reviewed and there was a discussion about redesigning the format of MHAC meetings to give less time for presentations and more time for discussion and networking among members. Topics for a one-day skills building event were also explored.

*Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

 

 May 14 Materials:

Presentations:

Handouts:

 

Michigan HIV/AIDS Council March 19, 2009

The Michigan HIV/AIDS Council met for the first time this year on March 20 in Eaton Rapids. This was a time for model change-over. Holly Joseph served her last meeting as community co-chair and received a standing ovation for her four year service in this capacity. Surveys of the new membership body – required by the CDC to gain insight on the quality of CPGs and to aid the community planning process – were conducted.

New members were welcomed with a morning orientation by Membership Committee Co-chair Jake Distel, and an overview of MDCH Care and Prevention programs and the relationship between MHAC and MDCH by HAPIS Manager and MAHC Co-chair Debra Szwejda.  New members were introduced to their mentors and Nicole Adelman was introduced as the new Membership Committee co-chair. A brief presentation on the Michigan HIV News website and MHAC resources was made.

When the official meeting commenced, a new MHAC community co-chair was elected from four nominees. Christiano Ramazzotti, the HIV/AIDS & STD Prevention program director at ACCESS- Arab Community Center for Economic & Social Services and Co-founder of AL  GAMEA (GLBT Association of Middle Eastern Americans),  was elected following a compelling presentation bidding for the post. Ramazzatti cited his membership on MHAC for over six years, his experience developing the cutting-edge outreach program, Al  GAMEA, “based on the same principles of community planning: conduct needs assessment, find out what the community needs and implement those programs.” He has also worked with members from community planning groups across the country through the Asian Pacific Islander Wellness Center in San Francisco and The Asian Pacific Islander Health Forum, learning from their experiences in community planning.  “I’d like to get new people involved in the MHAC committees,” he told the members present at the meeting.

Committee reports included a reminder from the Membership Committee that all MHAC members are expected to join at least one committee. An update on the Needs Assessment and Comprehensive Planning Process showed this group has been hard at work in collaboration with MDCH staff. Co-chair Peter Hubbard noted, “The quality of data (provided by MDCH) was impeccable and easy to use.”  A long process using State data and a ranking system determined the priority populations as MSM – way ahead in the lead – IDU and HRH, all following the CDC mandated priority population, HIV-positive.  The next step for this process is the Gap Analysis. The African American AIDS Advisory Committee (A4C) reported on the Michigan Black AIDS Awareness Campaign (BAAC). Nineteen agencies attended the kick-off event held  on January 9, and several novel activities planned for this year’s Campaign, which ran Feb  1 - March 13, were noted. The final report will be presented in May.

Meeting presentations included an STD Program Update – with the HIV/STD connection emphasized  – by Amy Peterson, now the MHAC advisor for the MDCH STD Section  (See below); and an overview of the upcoming Prevention Statewide Strategic Planning Initiative focused on MSM, by the new HAPIS coordinator for the Initiative, Andre Brown, (313)456-4362. E-mail browna16@michigan.gov.

Upcoming Events Planning - Deb Szwejda called on members to help plan the 2009 National Latino Awareness Day Campaign (October 15).  Meetings will be limited to two; the first will be held May 19, contact Belinda Chandler (517)241-5926 or chandlerbel@michigan.gov. The National Test Day (June 27) kick-off will be held April 29 at the Hampton Inn in Lansing, contact Lisa Taton-Murphy at (517)241-5932, or e-mail: TatonL@michigan.gov.

Presentations included:

 

Michigan HIV/AIDS Council November 13, 2008

MHAC met for the last time this year and wrapped up several orders of business. Approved were the new members for 2009 proposed by the Membership Committee, the Prioritization Model proposed for use in the MHAC Needs Assessment and Comprehensive Plan Process, and the CDC Funding Application proposed by the Ad hoc workgroup that reviewed this application, required every year of MDCH for CDC support of outstate CTR and trainings, health education and prevention programs. There was a report on the STD & HIV Conference held in Ypsilanti this month.
      The African American AIDS Advisory Committee (A4C) met over lunch. Co-chair Amna Osman stepped down to work with the UN this summer and is now MDCH Director of the Division of Health Wellness and Disease Control. Leon Golson will preside as co-chair until the new membership arrives and new co-chairs can be chosen. Planning is under way for the 5th Annual Black AIDS Awareness Campaign to be held February 1 - March 13, 2009. See the meeting schedule. A legislative training will be planned for next year and the Leadership Development Committee is working on drawing in leaders from national black organizations to the A4C. There was much discussion around better defining the A4C goals and this committee's role in relation to MHAC.

Presentations included:

  • STD & HIV Conference Report to MHAC - Reported by Monique Green

     
  • Planned Statewide Needs Assessment of Young African American Men who have Sex with Men - Robin Miller, PhD, MSU

        Briefly, this needs assessment is being conducted by an MSU research team. Initially it focused on the highest prevalence counties in MI, Berrien, Ingham, Kent, Washtenaw and Wayne. Advisors were consulted to develop questions and an interview protocol. Plans are to interview 180 young men ages 13 -24 across the state using a recruitment strategy called Respondent Drive Sampling (the first interviewee leads you to three more). The planning and training of interviewers should be completed by February 2009, with data collected by May and complete analysis and interpretation by July 2009. The completed report will be presented to MHAC at the September 2009 meeting. For more information, contact Dr. Miller at (517) 432-3267.

  • 2008 Epidemiological Profile Presentation - Elizabeth Hamilton, MDCH HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Specialist (Liz Hamilton announced that she will be stepping down as the Surveillance Advisor to MHAC and introduced Ligia Buia, replacing her in 2009.) See the PowerPoint Presentation with notes (open PDF click on note book with pen on left for notes window)

        The big change to note in comparing this to the last Epi Profile is that in the past HIV rates were based on estimated prevalence, while the 2008 report uses reported prevalence data. This is due to the fact that better real data are now available giving us a more realistic picture of prevalence in the state. "With lab reporting and incidence reporting we have a better look at reality," said Hamilton.
        Also of note, is the change in defining and categorizing the heterosexual risk group. You will note an increase in this group because - as the quarterly stats reports have been doing for a while - the HRH group (high risk heterosexual) and PH-Fem (those presumed to be infected via heterosexual contact) are now combined in one group. Heterosexuals are now the second ranked behavioral group (of which 78% are women).
        A report on Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities is new in the report. One out of every 120 black males in Michigan is HIV positive; as is one out of every 320 black females. And as we all know by now, young black MSM top the charts.
        This year's epi profile also includes expanded information on STDs, TB and hepatitis  - and not just co-infected stats.

        See the complete 2008 Epidemiologic Profiles of HIV in Michigan http://www.michigan.gov/mdch/0,1607,7-132-2940_2955_2982_46000_46003-36307--,00.html
There are three separate profiles- Michigan as a whole, SE Michigan and Outstate Michigan.
These profiles represent the most comprehensive picture of HIV in our state and are a great source of information. I encourage you to read the Forward so you will know more about what is in them.

  • GLTB Legal Hotline Presentation - Elder Law of Michigan, Inc.

 

Michigan HIV/AIDS Council September 25, 2008 Meeting

  • MDCH-DHWDC-HAPIS News - September 2008
  • CDC Dash Program Grant - Laurie Bechhofer, MDE MHAC Advisor and Arlene Richardson, Program Assoc. Health Ed, Detroit Public Schools. See "MDCH AND MDE COLLABORATE FOR ADOLESCENT HEALTH" (pg.2)
    Resource: A Silent Crisis: Creating Safe Schools for Sexual Minority Youth, developed by the Safe Schools for SMY Workgroup, this is a guide to policy and procedures around anti-violence and anti-bullying, and corresponding posters for schools. To order Safe Schools for SMY manuals, see the Central Michigan University website www.emc.cmich.edu/products/misc/silentcrisis.htm, call 1-800-214-8961 or email emc@cmich.edu. To order posters, call MAPP (248) 545-1435.  For more information on training, contact either the Calhoun County ISD, either Bob Higgins, 616-789-2415 or Holly White, 616-789-2434. (HIV/STD and Adolescents Networking Committee Update - Due to lack of funding, the medical retirement of Chair Ardith Alderdyce and dwindling participation, this committee is on hold and undergoing a needs assessment by MDE.)

 

Michigan HIV/AIDS Council May 15, 2008 Meeting

 

Michigan HIV/AIDS Council March 20, 2008 Meeting

Michigan's HIV/AIDS Council will keep its current community co-chairs following the unopposed nomination of Paula Sirls at the March 20 meeting in Eaton Rapids. The meeting also welcomed ten new members and ten new advisors.

  •  HPLS Report by Lisa Taton-Murphy;  HPLS volunteer letter and application form Note: this is an interactive form that you may fill in, print and then fax or mail.
  •  CAREWare Update - Becki Bishop (Note: This is a PDF file, please download the latest Adobe® Reader®.  
    With this latest reader, when you open the PDF file, you will see in the options column on the bottom left an icon with 2 overlapping dialogue boxes. If you click on this you will be able to read Becki's commentary on each slide.)

 

Michigan HIV/AIDS Council November 15, 2007 Meeting

  • Detroit Recover Project - Andre Johnson
  • LINKS 2 Program Presentation - Walter Washington
  • Deaf and Hard of Heating Program - Terry Tauger, MSW

     

Michigan HIV/AIDS Council September 20, 2007 Meeting

 

Michigan HIV/AIDS Council June, 2007 Meeting

 

Michigan HIV/AIDS Council March 23, 2007 Meeting

 

Michigan HIV/AIDS Council November 15, 2006 Meeting

See a report on the meeting in Michigan News - November

PowerPoint Presentations and documents

 

Michigan HIV/AIDS Council September 13, 2006 Meeting

The Michigan HIV/AIDS Council met on September 13.  This advisory body to MDCH, with statewide representation for both care and prevention professionals and community members reflecting the demographics of the epidemic in Michigan, updated its membership application for 2007 membership. This is now due on October 13 for qualified applicants. Fourteen membership slots are open with an emphasis on need for representation by young African American MSM and IDU.

The Comprehensive Plan & Needs Assessment Committees reported on the summer’s activities including the community open forums and assessment surveys collection from persons living with HIV/AIDS around the state. A final report will be available at the November meeting.

Many special presentations were made at the day long meeting and most are available to review as PowerPoint presentations (see below). These include the HIV Surveillance Section update on lab reporting of HIV recently mandated by Michigan law and the just released 2006 Epi Profile; a report on the HIV+ Women’s Survey; and the new adherence training curricula. The meeting also included a report on this summer’s Michigan case management conference and the national HIV Prevention Leadership Summit. There was a report on MAPPs new social marketing campaign for prevention of Methamphetamine use among the LGBT population, and an interesting activity on youth involvement for members. Youth have been an illusive group to involve in community planning. There was a fruitful discussion on the issue of youth parity and a resulting sign-up sheet for a Youth Involvement Advisory Workgroup.

PowerPoint Presentations and documents

 

Michigan HIV/AIDS Council May 17, 2006 Meeting

PowerPoint Presentations and documents

 

Michigan HIV/AIDS Council March 22, 2006 Meeting

 

Michigan HIV/AIDS Council November 9, 2005 Meeting

New members for 2006 selected by the membership committee were approved.
The Comprehensive Plan & Needs Assessment Committees gave recommendations for evidence-based prevention interventions for the identified four prioritized populations approved at the September meeting: persons living with HIV/AIDS (HIV+), men who have sex with men (MSM), injection drug users (IDUs), and high risk heterosexuals (HRH). The members approved the recommended interventions.
The meeting’s presentations included a report on Michigan’s first Hepatitis C Conference held in Ypsilanti, which was attended by approximately 280 and attracted the diverse audience that the planning committee had hoped to bring together to network. Gospel Against AIDS Executive Director Rosalind Andrews Worthy reported on the Detroit Summit for the CDC model program rollout for Business Responds/Labor Responds to HIVAIDS.

Michigan HIV/AIDS Council September 1, 2005 Meeting

PowerPoint Presentation

Michigan HIV/AIDS Council May 12, 2005 Meeting

PowerPoint Presentations

March 17, 2005 Meeting

Meeting Notes

PowerPoint Presentations

Supplemental Materials

 

November 10, 2004 Meeting

PowerPoint Presentations

September 1, 2004 Meeting

This was a meeting of change, and loss of valued MHAC members. Sammye Stamper opened the meeting with an introduction to his new Community Co-Chair Paula Sirls. He also recognized the passing over the summer of Schawne Parker, ED of CHOW, Inc., who had been a Community Co-Chair for the first three years of MHAC. After lunch the group received the sad news that MHAC member, Fredericka (Fredie) Shay had just passed away that morning. Dr. Shea, who co-founded the WSU AIDS Education and Training Center, was a nationally recognized pioneer in HIV/AIDS education for health care professionals. It was announced that Michigan Advocates Exchange (MAX) would be closing on September 30, and founding ED Kendra Kleber would be leaving the state. Kleber was recognized at the meeting for all the work that she has done in Michigan for the legal rights of persons living with HIV/AIDS.

Reports were given by Mark Peterson on national  “AIDS Watch”, Jan Koopman on the national HIV Prevention Leadership Summit, and the Michigan PWA 2004 Steppin’ Out Conference by Paula Sirls. Special presentations were made by Eve Mokotoff on the HIV Testing Survey (HITS), results of a  CDC 2002 testing survey; and Laurie Bechhofer on changes in Michigan law regarding HIV and sex ed in the schools (SB 943, Public Act 165 of 2004  and HB 5478, Public Act 166 of 2004) and the State Board of Education Policy.

The actions that were taken at the meeting included revising MHAC Policies and Procedures on procedures for meetings and increasing the number of members on the Executive Committee. It was reported that the Comprehensive Plan Committee recommended that the 2005 Plan be accepted as part of the CDC application.

 

April 7, 2004 Meeting

Presentations and documents:

Brenda Stoneburner follow-up: A question came up at the MHAC meeting regarding the Drug Trends Report, these can be accessed through the ODCP website and are updated each June and December.  The most recent one is dated December, 2003.
 
Website address is  www.michigan.gov/odcp, click on the "Treatment Section" box, and the Drug Trends Report is one of the options.

Approved documents:

 

January 14, 2004 Meeting

Once again a winter travel advisory prevented many from attending this meeting. Presentations were kept brief and without a quorum no actions were taken.

DHAS News Reported at the Meeting

 

September 4, 2003 Meeting Notes

PowerPoint (and other) Presentations and documents

 

April 2003 Meeting

PowerPoint Presentations

  • Juvenile Justice Youth Risk Behavior Survey results of a survey that was conducted in the Spring of 2002 of all of the youth in the FIA/BJJ juvenile justice facilities.
  • CHOW – LINKS information about the LINKS Coalition program (Linking Individuals into Networks Knowledge & Services.)
  • University of Michigan Title III. The program now offers dental assistance to their clients. The center is collaborating with HARC to provide HIV testing. They also offer free mental health services.
  • Health Delivery, Inc. provides high quality health care to individuals and community groups in Saginaw, Bay and other nearby counties.
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