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The Ryan White CARE Act
The Ryan White Comprehensive AIDS Resources Emergency (CARE) Act is a Federal law, first enacted in 1990, that funds services for people living with HIV disease that cannot pay for the care they need. The CARE Act spells out who is eligible for services and describes how the money can be used. The CARE Act awards grants under five sections of the Act: Titles I, II, III, IV and Part F.
The San Antonio EMA
Title I funds go to local areas that have been hit hardest by the HIV epidemic. These areas are called eligible metropolitan areas (EMAs). Title I money goes to the Chief Elected Official (CEO) of the major city or county government in the EMA. The San Antonio Eligible Metropolitan Area, which is comprised of Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe and Wilson counties, annually receives approximately $3.8 million in Ryan White Title I CARE Act funds. In the San Antonio EMA, the Honorable Nelson W. Wolff, Bexar County Judge, serves as the CEO and is responsible for administering the program. As a requirement for receiving Ryan White Title I CARE Act funds, the County Judge has established the San Antonio Area HIV Health Services Planning Council.
The Planning Council
The San Antonio Area HIV Health Services Planning Council was established in 1994. Its responsibility is to determine the needs of the HIV affected community within the San Antonio EMA and to develop priorities and set percentages of funds. The purpose of the Planning Council is to ensure the availability of quality comprehensive health and social services to individuals affected by the HIV epidemic. San Antonio's Planning Council is a 25 member planning body made up of volunteer community members who have been appointed by the CEO to serve a two-year term. The CEO appoints individuals who have a wide range of viewpoints and expertise they can bring to the Council. These individuals include health care providers, public health officials, consumers, people of various race and ethnic orientations, as well as people from different parts of the EMA. At least one-third (33%) of the Planning Council members must be people living with HIV. These members bring the consumer's point of view to Planning Council discussions. Council members typically commit two to ten hours a month to attend Council and Committee meetings.
Leadership of the Planning Council
The Council will elect two Co-Chairs and a Vice Chair, to each serve a one-year term. The Co-Chairs of the Planning Council will then select members to chair each of the five committees, and will assign members to work on one or more of the committees. |
