Hep Free NYC Advocacy Committee Meeting Highlights | 7-14-21

Ad Hoc Advocacy Committee Meeting

Wednesday, July 14 (3-4 pm)

Agenda:

1. Viral Hepatitis Initiative – City Council Funding FY2022 https://council.nyc.gov/budget/wp-content/uploads/sites/54/2021/06/Fiscal-2022-Schedule-C-Merge-6.30.21.pdf
   • Overall increase in funding level similar to FY2020
   • Designations

                          a)Organizations not listed in schedule C:

• • • Family Services Network of New York
    • Bed-Stuy Family Health Center
    • BronxCare Health System
    • Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center

                           b)Organization added: Brookdale Hospital

• Undesignated funds ($260,091)

                           a)Transparency resolution will designate funds

                           b)Proposal – send letter to City Council to:

• • • Thank them for ongoing funding
    • Advocate that undesignated funds be allocated to the four organizations not listed others that applied (such as COPE)
    • Request revision to the scope of service language to ensure the initiative is eligible for the NYS Article 6 match (remove “addiction treatment” and “mental health assessment”)
    • Raise issues with unpaid FY21 vouchers (March – June)
    • Request streamlined process to get contracts executed and funds distributed in a timely manner
    • Speakers Initiative funding – are funds still available?

• NYS Article 6 Match and City Public Health Backfill

a)In 2019, NYS cut budget for Article 6 match to NYC (was 36%, now 20%); City Council made up the difference                                   through “Public Health Backfill” (16%)

2. Planning for City Council FY2023 Budget:

• Request that Check Hep B organizations get funded the same as Check Hep C
• Baseline funding– need agreement from Mayor and Council; prioritize this effort to avoid annual requests for discretionary funds

3. NYC Elimination Plan Updates (working with consultant Lina Cherfas)

• Stakeholder feedback received from Hep Free NYC Research and Advocacy Committees; planned meeting with IDUHA peers and navigators
• Will be seeking community feedback on draft plan in Fall 2021; plan to have final draft ready by Dec 2021

4.Upcoming Activities and Announcements

• Charles B Wong Community Health Center: resuming Good Health Day, free screenings and health education 7/17, 10am – 3pm and 7/31, 10am – 3pm in Columbus Park (free Hep B screening, BP screening, etc.) (janwong@cbwchc.org)
• COPE: Natl AA Hep C Awareness Day testing event 7/22, 1 – 4pm (gbrown.cope@gmail.com)
• Community Health Action of Staten Island: HIV/HCV testing event, 7/23, 5pm – 9pm (Shanda.kearse@chasiny.org)
• HCMSG: Elimination of Hepatitis C: From the Clinic to the Streets. 7/28, 4 – 5 PM (ronnimarks24@gmail.com)
• Alliance for Positive Change: conducting testing at STI clinics; job postings for Harm Reduction Specialists on website (arianne@alliance.nyc)
• Housing Works: Reed Vreeland is leaving at end of July; heading off to get a graduate degree in Public Administration! Congrats Reed!!
• Hep Free NYC Advocacy Committee Meeting: 9/8, 3 – 5pm (mbresnahan@health.nyc.gov)

Join Hep Free NYC Advocacy listserv: hep-free-nyc-listserv@googlegroups.com

Attendees:

Last Updated on July 26, 2021 by HepFree NYC