City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: NOVEMBER 5, 2014
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
FROM: RASHAD M. YOUNG, CITY MANAGER/s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of Membership Changes; Revision of Function Narrative for the Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS; and Request for City Attorney to Prepare the Necessary Ordinance.
BODY
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ISSUE: Due to continuing vacancies, a desire to broaden its base, and the change over time in the titles of many member groups, the Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS requests Council consideration of revision of its membership.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council, under Sec. 2-4-116, revise the Alexandria Commission on HIV/AIDS membership as follows:
· Change "Two (2) members from and representing Alexandria Hospital" to "One (1) member from Inova Alexandria Hospital."
· Change "Alexandria Youth Policy Commission" to "Alexandria Children, Youth and Families Collaborative Commission."
· Remove "Whitman Walker Clinic"
· Remove "Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry"
· Remove "Alexandria Chapter, American Red Cross"
· Remove "City of Alexandria Public Schools"
· Change "One (1) student who currently attends any High School in the City of Alexandria" to "One (1) Youth Representative Aged 17 to 21."
· Change "An HIV/AIDS service organization which provided services in the City to the minority community" to "One (1) member from and representing a service organization providing HIV/AIDS outreach to African Americans and/or other disproportionately affected populations in Alexandria."
· Change "A member of the Alexandria Gay and Lesbian Community Association" to "An organization that provides outreach and services to the LGBTQ community including African American Men who have sex with Men."
· Create a new position entitled "One (1) member from and representing a community health center serving persons with HIV/AIDS in Alexandria."
· Create a new position entitled "One (1) member from and representing a community organization providing HIV/AIDS prevention education in Alexandria."
· Change the number of members under 2-4-116 (b) from "27" to reflect the new number of member participants.
BACKGROUND: The Commission is currently composed of 27 members representing the following: Two (2) members from and representing the Alexandria Hospital (one of whom shall be from the Hospital's Department of Pastoral Services); One (1) member from and representing: Whitman Walker Clinic, Hospice of Northern Virginia, An HIV/AIDS service organization which provided services in the City to the minority community, Alexandria Chapter of American Red Cross, Alexandria Gay and Lesbian Community Association, Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry, City of Alexandria Public Schools, Alexandria Community Services Board, Alexandria Human Rights Commission, Alexandria Youth Policy Commission, Alexandria Commission for Women, The Sheriff, or the Sheriff's Designee; One (1) member who is a Practicing Physician; One (1) student who currently attends any High School in the City of Alexandria; and Eleven (11) Citizens-at-Large.
DISCUSSION: Since the Commission's inception in 1981, many of its member organizations have dissolved or changed names. Additionally, recurring vacancies have convinced the Commission to revise its membership to better reflect the City's current health care safety net. The background for each change is as follows:
· The following agencies are being removed because they are no longer in existence: Whitman Walker Clinic and Northern Virginia AIDS Ministry.
· Request for removal of the Alexandria Chapter of American Red Cross is due to the agency no longer providing HIV/AIDS education and no participation on the Commission for at least three (3) years.
· Request for removal of the Alexandria Human Rights Commission as per their request due to the small numbers of that commission membership. The Human Rights Commission chair has expressed a continued willingness to partner with the Commission on HIV/AIDS in planning/hosting community events without the burden of having a designated seat on our Commission.
· Request for the removal of the seat for the Alexandria City Public Schools due to the continuing vacancy of that seat for four (4) years.
· The Change of "Youth Policy Commission" to "Children, Youth and Families Collaborative Commission" to reflect the name change of that commission.
· The Change of the "Alexandria Gay and Lesbian Community Association" to a non-name specific organization that provides services to the LGBTQ Alexandria community inclusive of African American men who have sex with men.
· In order to broaden its membership base, the Commission proposes to add one (1) member from and representing a community health center serving persons with HIV/AIDS in Alexandria; one (1) member from and representing an organization providing medical case management for persons living with HIV/AIDS in Alexandria; One (1) member from and representing a community organization providing HIV/AIDS prevention education in Alexandria.
· The removal of the seat for Alexandria City Public Schools is due to continuing Vacancy of four (4) years.
· The request to change one (1) student who currently attends any High School in the City of Alexandria is due expand the pool of qualified youth by encouraging participation from either Alexandria High School, students or Alexandria college-aged youth.
FISCAL IMPACT: None.
ATTACHMENTS: None.
STAFF:
Debra Collins, Deputy City Manager
Stephen Haering, M.D., M.P.H. Health Director, Health Department