The Prevention Planning Committee makes ongoing evidence-based recommendations on the full range of HIV prevention activities in Los Angeles County.
Meetings
About the PPC
Subcommittees
Needs Assessment
Comprehensive Plan
About the HIV Prevention Planning Committee
Mission
To engage in an ongoing process to develop and update a comprehensive HIV prevention plan for the diverse populations of Los Angeles County.
Vision
To identify and support methods and programs that are effective in preventing transmission of HIV, thus reducing the incidence of HIV infection in Los Angeles County.
Purpose
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mandates that “HIV prevention community planning reflects an open, candid, and participatory process in which differences in cultural and ethnic background, perspective, and experience are essential and valued.” The CDC provides funding to the County of Los Angeles and the PPC to assist in completing several tasks, including:
- Compiling an epidemic profile of HIV, AIDS, and other health indicators in L.A. County.
- Assessing the needs of populations at risk for HIV infection and transmission.
- Review the prevention resources available in L.A. County.
- Analyzing and addressing the gaps in services.
- Identifying effective strategies and interventions to prevent new infections.
- Prioritizing prevention needs.
More information about HIV prevention community planning and core objectives, and a copy of the HIV Prevention Community Planning Guidance can be obtained at http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pubs/hiv-cp.htm
Subcommittees
The PPC creates standing and ad hoc subcommittees as needed to accomplish its mission. Subcommittees report the progress of their work to the PPC at regular meetings. Currently, the PPC has four standing subcommittees:
Executive: This subcommittee is responsible for setting the agenda for ensuring that the PPC accomplishes its goals and objectives, guides the development of social marketing strategies, helps obtain community input in the content development process, and addresses HIV/AIDS related prevention policy issues. The Executive subcommittee is comprised of the PPC Co-Chairs and the Chairs of each standing subcommittee.
Evaluation: This subcommittee evaluates the HIV prevention application process and utilizes data for resource prioritization and allocation
Operations: This subcommittee maintains clear and consistent policies and procedures for efficient operation of the PPC, nominates new PPC members for selection to the Executive subcommittee, is responsible for orientation and ongoing training of members, and reviews member attendance and participation.
Standards & Best Practices: This subcommittee provides recommendations related to minimum standards and best practices with HIV prevention programming, staffing, benchmarks, and planning. This subcommittee also identifies and prioritizes strategies that assist in the implementation of HIV prevention interventions that are consistent with the comprehensive HIV prevention plan.
Ad hoc: Ad hoc subcommittees/task forces are formed to address an emerging issue or for a special purpose. Ad hoc subcommittees have been formed to discuss the following issues: Crystal Methamphetamine, public policy, and African American men who have sex with men
Membership
The PPC is comprised of 22 members who are chosen to reflect the characteristics of the current and projected HIV/AIDS epidemic in Los Angeles County as contained in, An Epidemiologic Profile of HIV and AIDS in Los Angeles County, July 2005. The membership reflect the HIV epidemic in terms of age, gender, race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geographic and metropolitan statistical area (MSA)-size distribution, and risk for HIV infection.
Members should be able to make knowledgeable contributions towards the understanding of the specific HIV prevention needs of the populations they represent. At the same time, they must be able to participate as group members in objectively weighing the overall priority prevention needs of all of Los Angeles County.
In addition, the PPC seeks membership from:
- Representatives of key non-governmental and governmental organizations providing HIV prevention and related services (e.g., STD, TB, substance abuse prevention and treatment, mental health services, homeless shelters, HIV care and social services) to persons with or at risk for HIV infection.
- Experts in Epidemiology, behavioral and social sciences, program evaluation, and health planning.
- Staff of state and local health departments, including the HIV prevention and STD treatment programs; staff of state and local education agencies; and staff of other relevant governmental agencies (e.g., substance abuse, mental health, corrections).
- Representatives of key non-governmental organizations relevant to, but who may not necessarily provide, HIV prevention services (e.g., representatives of business, labor, and faith communities).
Membership Application
Persons interested in membership may print and complete an
application and submit to:
Prevention Planning Committee
ATTN: Membership
600 S. Commonwealth Ave, 2
nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90005
Vacancies are filled annually and as needed, on a continuous basis, to reflect both the epidemic and the expertise for comprehensive planning.
Needs Assessment
As part of the community planning process, the PPC is expected to conduct an assessment of the HIV prevention needs of the populations identified by the epidemiological profile as being at high risk for HIV infection. The publication, HIV Prevention Plan 2009 - 2013, reflects current needs assessment for the County. It synthesizes several available quantitative and qualitative data and represents a four-pronged approach to the assessment of HIV prevention needs within Los Angeles County including:
- The review of HIV and AIDS epidemiological data,
- The analysis of the Countywide Risk Assessment Survey (CRAS) results,
- The development of a model to assess impact of disease by geographic region, and
- The review of findings from focus groups and key informant interviews.
Priority Setting and Resource Allocation
In setting priorities and allocating resources, the PPC initially developed an evidence-based model to establish priorities. This takes into account high-risk behavior and the co-factors of HIV risk, geographic communities, race/ethnicity, socio-economic status, and the demonstrated effectiveness of various prevention strategies.
However, the PPC shifted focus in 1999 and developed the Behavioral Risk Group (BRG) concept to target those at high-risk for HIV due to behavior. Under this approach, the PPC collaborated with the HIV Epidemiology Program and used trends in the epidemic to allocate resources to areas of greatest need based upon estimated new BRGs.
This approach targeted behavior that put one at risk for HIV rather than membership of a particular group. The overall intent of this shift was to create a targeted approach to HIV prevention that would achieve the greatest result and have lasting impact, thereby resulting in the most effective and efficient use of limited resources.
The latest prevention plan focuses on critical populations at highest risk for HIV.
Additional information on the process of priorities setting and resources allocation can be obtained from the publication, HIV Prevention Plan 2009 - 2013.
Comprehensive Plan
The HIV Prevention Plan 2009 - 2013 is the most recent comprehensive HIV prevention plan for Los Angeles County. The Plan is intended to guide decision-makers, health care planners and community services providers in the development and delivery of HIV prevention activities throughout the County. It provides the current framework for HIV prevention activities in Los Angeles County.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requires all jurisdictions awarded prevention funding to develop a comprehensive HIV prevention plan. The CDC does not require a new plan each year but does expect the PPC to meet regularly and to periodically review, revise, and refine the plan, to reflect any new or enhanced surveillance data, intervention research, needs assessment, resource inventory, program policy, or technology.
Meetings
PPC monthly meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month and are open to the public. The PPC invites active participation in subcommittee activities from the larger community; membership is not a requirement. Such community participation enhances diversity and creates opportunity for broad representation.
