The AIDS Foundation of Chicago has announced its new three-year strategic plan to address imminent changes in health care and address the diverse needs of vulnerable populations.

Called “The Road to Health: Charting Health Improvements for HIV-Affected Communities,” the strategic plan is intended to cover the next three years, 2013 to 2015. The plan is organized around three broad goals: strengthening community health, leading integration of changing health systems and managing for better outcomes at each stage of HIV care.

 

“AFC’s new strategic plan reaffirms — first and foremost — the urgency of our mission,” said David Ernesto Munar, AFC’s president/CEO. “It commits the organization to explore new paths to evolve how we fight HIV and help those directly affected in this era of rapid change.”

Download the strategic plan here.

Here’s a quick overview:

Goal #1: Catalyze actions to reduce health disparities and strengthen communities.

Persistent health disparities result from social and economic inequality, which drain communities of the resources needed to promote well-being and quality of life.

The AIDS sector must therefore strive to strengthen the fabric, resilience, and power of affected communities.  Strategies against HIV will be most effective when the entire community benefits from increased opportunities and well-being.

To advance goal #1, AFC will pursue policy and programmatic initiatives that build social capital and create greater opportunities for adolescents, transgender people, gay and bisexual men, incarcerated individuals, and members of communities of color.

Goal #2:  Provide leadership and vision for integrated service systems.

As new health systems emerge, there is an urgent need for better-integrated services attuned to the special needs of people with HIV. AFC and its partners will work closely to influence the development of emerging medical, housing, behavior health, employment and educational systems that must be equipped to serve our vulnerable populations.

Through advocacy, system coordination, and the dissemination of best practices, AFC will pursue systems reforms that develop the capacity, cultural competence, and options needed by HIV-affected people.

Goal #3: Improve outcomes at every stage of HIV care.

Despite the HIV sector’s best efforts, poor outcomes persist at every stage of HIV care.  AFC will use its advocacy and coordinated services to manage better outcomes across the HIV care continuum.  In particular, we will:
–    Work to expand the number of people provided testing and diagnosed with HIV
–    Improve linkage to care within AFC programs and across the region
–    Through case management and housing, improve retention in continuous clinical care
–    Advocate for robust medical options through Ryan White and ADAP, Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance

To support progress toward these three goals, AFC will leverage the creativity and vitality of the Service Providers Council.   AFC will partner with SPC leadership to develop a range of activities to help the entire HIV sector better manage our collective and individual responses to the changing environment.

In these exciting but uncertain times, we must stand together and support each other to ensure our clients can rely on an array of services they need and deserve.

Click here to read the AFC’s previous strategic plan covering 2008-2010 and the corresponding progress report.

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Media contact: Greg Trotter, 312-334-0913