Participate: Join the Council

The Membership, Nominations, and Elections (MNE) Committee is responsible for ensuring that the ethnicity of the Planning Council reflects the HIV prevalence in the Transitional Grant Area, comprised of Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, and Wilson Counties.

 

All eligible candidates will be interviewed. The membership term is for two years beginning March 1 following the date of appointment by the Bexar County Judge.

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Planning Council Qualifications

To qualify for membership on the Planning Council, an individual must have reached the legal age of consent in the State of Texas and either reside or work within the TGA or the HSDA.

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Planning Council Representation

The Planning Council shall be composed of Members of racial/ethnic groups, such as Latino/Hispanic, African-American, Native American, and Asian/Pacific Islander, in proportion to the racial/ethnic demographics of the TGA.

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At least one-third (1/3) of the total Planning Council Membership shall be non-aligned PLWH and who are eligible to receive Ryan White services. To ensure parity, inclusion and representation of all HIV service issues, PLWH, should include members of racial/ethnic groups in proportion to the racial/ethnic distribution of HIV cases in the TGA and include:
 

1. Youth

2. Co-infected with Hepatitis C

3. Recently released from a correctional facility within the last three years

 

These Members cannot have conflicts of interest with an organization receiving or that could potentially receive Ryan White funding.
 

The Planning Council shall consist of up to a maximum of Twenty-five (25) Members and shall include representatives of the following groups:
 

• Health Care Providers including federally qualified and non-qualified heath centers;

• Community-Based and AIDS Service Organizations serving affected populations;

• Social Service/Housing/Homeless Service Providers;

• Mental Health Care Providers;

• Substance Abuse Service Providers;

• Local Public Health Agencies;

• Hospital Planning Agencies or Health Care Planning Agencies;

• Infected/Affected Communities receiving Ryan White HIV-related services, including historically underserved groups and sub-populations. See above;

• Non-Elected Community Leaders;

• State Medicaid Agency;

• State Agency administering the program under the Ryan White Part B Program;

• Grantees under subpart II of the Ryan White Part C Program;

• Grantees under Part D, or if none are operating in the area, representatives of organizations with a history of serving children, youth, and families living with HIV and operating in the area.

• Grantees under other Federal HIV programs to include, but not limited to, Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (“HOPWA”);

• HIV Prevention;

• HIV-Related Fields, e.g. Research and Development & Other Fields;

• Community Stakeholders, including Faith-Based Communities; and

• Representative(s) from the rural areas of the San Antonio HSDA.

 

Planning Council Reflectiveness

Reflectiveness refers to ensuring that the Planning Council’s composition reflects the epidemiology of the jurisdiction it represents.  Making sure that its membership reflects at least 33 percent of individuals that are HIV+ and non-conflicted who receive Part A funded services.

 

A non-conflicted individual is someone who is not an officer, employee or consultant to any provider that receives Part A funds.

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Nomination and Appointment

The Membership, Nominations and Elections Committee will ensure that all members are appointed in accordance with the Nominations Process.
 

The application process will take approximately 3-4 weeks. The Membership, Nominations and Elections Committee can recommend a person for membership to the Planning Council or to a waiting pool. A category position must be open before a person can be recommended to the Planning Council for membership.

The Membership, Nominations and Elections Committee will review the category list before recommending an interviewee to the Bexar County Judge.
 

The Planning Council shall forward each nomination to the Bexar County Judge for approval of the appointment. All appointees serve at the discretion of the Bexar County Judge.
 

All new members of the Planning Council must complete the New Member Orientation within three (3) months of appointment.

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Responsibilities

1. Setting the date and agenda for each Planning Council meeting; 

2. Receiving reports from Committee Chairs; 

3. Coordinating the efforts of all standing committees involved in the development of the Ryan White Program grant applications; 

4. Coordinating the work of the Planning Council with the Administrative Agency; 

5. Reviewing the performance of the Administrative Mechanism; 

6. Establishing a Grievance Committee, when needed, as set forth in Addendum B attached to these Bylaws; 

7. Reviewing and investigating any violations of the Code of Conduct, and if warranted, recommending the removal of a Member for cause; and 

8. Performing other duties as may be required or assigned by the Co-Chairs of the Planning Council or by a vote of the Planning Council. 

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Term of Service

The term of service of each Planning Council Member shall be two (2) years beginning March 1 following the date of appointment by the Bexar County Judge.

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A Planning Council Member shall serve no more than three (3) consecutive two-year terms. Those representing the Texas Department of State Health Services, Texas Medicaid, Local Health Department, Part C, Part D, and HOPWA representatives are exempt from these term limit restrictions since their respective agencies nominate individuals who can adequately represent them, and may have a limited pool of potential candidates.

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Members shall serve for staggered terms and shall serve until their successors are appointed by the Bexar County Judge. The Bexar County Judge shall appoint half of the Members in odd-numbered years and half in even-numbered years.

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Any Member who is ineligible for re-appointment because of term limitations may re-apply to the Planning Council after a hiatus of twelve (12) months.

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Contact Us

For additional information or if you have any questions, please contact Sharron Harris, the Planning Council’s Technical Support. 

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Thank you again for your interest in becoming a Planning Council Member!

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Vacancies

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