AFC Service Providers Council Committee Descriptions

Advocacy/Policy
The Advocacy/Policy Committee draws from a diverse group of lawyers, policy analysts, AIDS advocates, agency directors and HIV-positive individuals from government and community-based organizations that provide legal advocacy, substance abuse, and other services for people with HIV/AIDS. The committee monitors and assesses the impact of state and local laws, administrative practices, and proposed legislation on HIV-positive individuals, and advocates on behalf of sound AIDS-related public policies.

Case Management Governance
The Case Management Governance Committee is a 15-member body broadly representative of both funded case management agencies and HIV-affected populations in the area. The committee is comprised of agency program directors, case management supervisors, case managers, and service consumers and includes city and suburban providers, gays and lesbians, people of color, and individuals serving women, children, substance users, hemophiliacs, and other affected communities. The committee provides general oversight of the case management system, identifies service gaps and sets priorities for system expansion, establishes the annual case manager training calendar, reviews results of client and agency satisfaction surveys, and participates in funded agency site visits.

Task Force on LGBT Substance Use and Abuse
The Chicago Task Force on LGBT Substance Use and Abuse is an innovative public and private partnership with participants including public health, AIDS service organizations, substance abuse treatment providers, LGBT service providers, merchants, law enforcement, and concerned community leaders. The Task Force is dedicated to reducing substance use in Chicago’s LGBT community through advocacy, social marketing, appropriate and compassionate prevention and treatment, legislation and law enforcement activities.

Employment Initiative Task Force
The Employment Initiative Task Force is a partnership between the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and Chicago House and Social Service Agency. This Initiative helps advise the iFOUR program which provides job training workshops and internships for people living with HIV/AIDS. Whether entering/re-entering the workforce, volunteering, or shadowing, the task force seeks to help PLWHIV to increase their quality of life. This increase in quality of life can be derived from supplemental income, independence and increased self-esteem; all without losing their disability or insurance benefits.

Executive
The Executive Committee is made up of the chairs from each of the other committees and is elected by the full body SPC each November at the Annual Meeting. This committee is responsible for setting priorities for the SPC and AFC, addressing concerns in the community, and strategizing appropriate responses.

Faith Responds to AIDS
The Faith Responds to AIDS Committee is a partnership of thirteen churches collaborating together to provide a forum that allows broad-based interfaith exchange relative to the prevention of HIV/AIDS, reduction of stigma, and education. The committee meets monthly to allow the interchanging of experiences, the sharing of concerns and resources, and to analyze emerging trends among programs within the faith community. They also plan and develop local and national conferences, seminars, and workshops relevant for faith in prevention strategies as well as make recommendations relative to advocacy and policy development.

Food and Nutrition/ Altria Parntership
The Food and Nutrition Committee includes representatives from some 15 organizations serving people living with HIV/AIDS in the nine-county metropolitan area. Established by providers who identified the need for coordinated planning across the region, the committee has conducted a food services needs assessment and client satisfaction survey, and planned and implemented an all-day nutrition conference. The committee's documentation of unmet community needs has resulted in increased allocations for food and nutrition services from major funding sources.

HIV & Aging
The HIV & Aging Committee draws a diverse group of program coordinators, medical care providers, case managers, counselers, advocates, and many others. This group aims at increasing awareness about the needs of the 50+ community, particularly within HIV and sexual health. The purpose of the committee is to develop relationships with other aging service agencies and programs, identify gaps in services and assess needs in the community. The committee also hosts annual conferences and forums for varying audiences.

Housing
The Housing Committee includes representatives of large and small housing provider organizations from all areas of metropolitan Chicago. Committee members discuss and address the housing needs of people living with HIV/AIDS, and recently released the Chicago area five-year AIDS housing strategic plan, "A Place to Call Home."

Medical/Primary Care
The Medical/Primary Care Committee brings together primary health care providers, program managers, and other continuum-of-care personnel from hospitals and clinics that provide primary care and support services to HIV-positive individuals throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. The committee provides a forum for members to discuss and learn about emerging trends in the epidemic, new approaches to disease management, changes in HIV-impacted populations, clinical administrative issues, training, and technical assistance.

Membership
The Membership Committee, comprised of long-time SPC members, identifies and recruits AIDS services provider organizations to become members of the Service Providers Council. The committee also reviews applications for membership and slates candidates for leadership positions within the council.

Mental Illness & Substance Abuse (MISA)
The Mental Illness and Substance Abuse Committee, which is comprised of individuals working in AIDS service organizations, mental health organizations, substance use treatment providers, or integrated services, that works to improve service delivery for dually or triply diagnosed individuals. Committee activities include providing education for mental health, substance use and AIDS organizations, helping to foster formal service linkages to better assist individuals living with HIV, mental illness and/or substance use issues.

Prevention & Care
The Prevention & Care Committee is comprised mostly of front-line prevention workers from community-based organizations. Monthly meetings have focused on skills-building and information-sharing in key areas including program design and evaluation. The committee also organizes an annual all-day training conference for HIV health educators,outreach workers, service providers, and community advocates.

Title II Cook and Collar County Advisory Committees
These committees are broadly inclusive of various HIV/AIDS service providers, service consumers, health centers and other entities that provide services to individuals living with HIV/AIDS in Chicago, Cook and Collar counties. The purpose of the advisory committees are to identify gaps in the continuum of services, assess the needs and resources within Cook and Collar counties, prevent duplication, and prioritize services. The committees provide AFC direction in its role as lead agency for the Title II Cook County Consortia.

For more information or to join the SPC, please contact Julie Peugeot (312) 334-0914.