Orange County Health Services Department - Planning Council

The Planning Council draws its expertise and values from the diversity of its members, which include the following:

• People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWH/A), including consumers of funded services.
• Representatives of service providers.
• Local Public Health Agency.
• Representatives of other community-based organizations serving PLWH/A and/or their families (e.g., faith based organizations, HIV/AIDS organizations).
• Non-elected community leaders.
• Concerned citizens.

Because the perspective of PLWH/A or consumers is so important, the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act mandates that at least 33% of Council members be Part A consumers and that PLWH/A members reflect the area's larger PLWH/A population in race/ethnicity, gender, and age.

Eligibility

• To be a Council member, you must be a resident of the Orlando EMA (Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties) for the entire length of the term that the member serves on the Council.
• To be considered a consumer and be part of the required 33%, you must be receiving HIV-related services from Part A.

The Planning Council is recruiting new members in all of the above categories, especially PLWH/A. We encourage you to contact Planning Council Support and apply for membership today.

Requirements

New members attend orientation and also undergo ongoing training on occasion.

• Depending on your interest and expertise, you will be assigned to a committee, though you can also serve on additional committees.
• You must attend a majority of all assigned meetings.
• All members should participate in the Data Presentation, Priority Setting/Resource Allocation Process.
• Members should be able to serve a three-year term.

Membership application forms are linked from the Documents web page.

Benefits to You

• Learn more about HIV/AIDS issues, services, and ways to access these services.
• Network with a committed, diverse group of community members.
• Become a role model and leader in the community.
• Have a say about which HIV/AIDS services are funded.
• Make a difference in the community.
• Have fun!

Benefits to Your Community

• Ensure that HIV/AIDS services are responsive to your community's needs.
• Ensure that consumers have access to high quality services.
• Help the voices of others in your community be heard.

Training

Orientation: - New members must attend an orientation before they can vote. At the orientation, you will learn more about the Planning Council's structure, tasks, members, and meetings, the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009, and the Planning Council's relationship to the Grantee's office and other organizations. If you are a new member, Planning Council Support will contact you about the next orientation.

Ongoing Training: - On occasion, all Planning Council members will be asked to participate in ongoing or refresher training about more complex tasks or issues, such as the annual priority setting/resource allocation process.