Greater Phoenix Ryan White HIV Services Planning Council

About Ryan White

In 1984, Ryan White, at age 13, was one of the first hemophiliac children diagnosed with AIDS in the U.S. Diagnosed in the early days of misinformation, his fight to attend school garnered international attention. Through his public battle, he challenged prevalent misconceptions about HIV/AIDS and along with his mother, led a campaign to educate the public and increase awareness. Ryan eventually was welcomed to school when his family moved from Kokomo, Indiana to Cicero, Indiana. At the age of 18, Ryan White died in April 1990 just months before Congress passed the AIDS bill that bears his name.

Source: U.S. DHHS Health Resources and Services Administration.

Mission

The mission of the Phoenix EMA Ryan White Part A Planning Council is to ensure an integrated, holistic, and comprehensive system of health care for people living with HIV that is culturally appropriate, multilingual, full-service, family-friendly, and accessible to the entire community.

Vision

All people living with HIV/AIDS in Maricopa and Pinal Counties will have access to high quality health care and social services.

Meetings

In response to the COVID pandemic, meetings are being held on Zoom until further notice.

Meeting dates/times and Zoom meeting links are listed on Annual Meeting Notice (PDF)

For questions or additional support, please call Planning Council Support at: (480) 431-1207

Agendas & Minutes

In response to the COVID pandemic, agendas and minutes are being posted online. Agendas will be available at least 24 hours in advance of the meetings at the links below.

For updates to this webpage, contact BoardsAndCommissions@Maricopa.gov

Go to the Ryan White department page.

Member Qualifications

Article III. Membership, Section 1

Council membership shall include representation as mandated by the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Modernization Act, Council members are appointed by the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors which receives and considers recommendations made by the Membership Committee and endorsed by the Council to identify suitable candidates for Council membership. The Planning Council shall consist of a maximum of 45 persons residing throughout the EMA. The Membership Committee of the Council shall identify representatives from each of the following mandated representation categories as candidates for Council membership:

Health care providers, including federally qualified health centers
Community-based organizations serving affected populations and AIDS service organizations
Social service providers, including providers of housing and homeless services
Mental health and substance abuse providers
Local public health agencies
Hospital planning agencies or health care planning agencies
Affected communities, including people with HIV/AIDS, members of a Federally recognized Indian tribe as represented in the population, individuals co-infected with hepatitis B or C, and historically underserved groups and subpopulations
Non-elected community leaders
State government (including State Medicaid agency and the agency administering the program under Part B
Grantees under subpart II of Part C
Grantees under section 2671, or, if none are operating in the area, representatives of organizations with a history of serving children, youth, women, and families living with HIV and operating in the area
Grantees under the Federal HIV program, including but not limited to providers of HIV prevention services
Representatives of individuals who formerly were Federal, State, or local prisoners, were released from the custody of the penal system during the preceding 3 years, and had HIV/AIDS as of the date on which the individuals were so released

Council members representing the general public shall include representatives of the following groups, as necessary to create a membership reflective of the epidemic in the EMA:

African-Americans
Asian/Pacific Islanders
Hispanic-Americans, Latinos and Latinas
Women
Gay/Bisexual/Transgender communities
Persons with hemophilia
Residents of rural communities
Representatives of the IDU community
Parents/Guardians of HIV-infected children

Council membership shall include, whenever feasible, representatives of the following categories:

One member representing the Prevention Planning Group of Arizona
One member representing the Pinal County Health Department

Article III. Membership, Section 6

A Council member may nominate an alternate to be designated to attend Council meetings and participate in all Council activities in the event of the member's absence. An alternate may not attend more than 3 consecutive meeting in place of the Planning Council member. The 4 consecutive meeting attended by the alternate shall be considered an unexcused member absence.

Section 7

Members shall be appointed for 3 year terms, effective with approval by the Board. Members may be reappointed for one additional term upon the recommendation of the Membership Committee, endorsement by the Council, and the approval of the Board. It is the goal of the Planning Council to recruit new members to enhance the Council, but existing members are not required to leave if they choose not to and if no new members are found.