New York State Interagency Task Force on HIV/AIDS
On September 10, 1997, Governor Pataki issued an Executive Order creating an Interagency Task Force on HIV/AIDS to more effectively coordinate AIDS-related policies and activities among New York State agencies. The Task Force was constituted for a two-year period.
The Task Force met on a quarterly basis and was co-chaired by the Governor's Director of State Operations and the State Health Commissioner. Membership included the commissioners and directors, or their designees, of all State agencies that serve individuals or groups at risk for HIV infection and AIDS:
- Office for the Aging
- Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence
- Office of Children and Family Services
- Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance
- Office of Mental Health
- Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services
- Department of Education
- Department of Correctional Services
- Division of Housing and Community Renewal
- Division of Parole
- Division of Probation and Correctional Alternatives
- Division of the Budget
- Division of Criminal Justice Services
- Division of Human Rights
- Council on Children and Families
- Office of Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities
- Department of Labor
- Commission of Correction
- Department of Law
- Division of Veteran's Affairs
- Governor's Office of Employee Relations
- Advocate's Office for Persons with Disabilities
- Crime Victims Board
- Insurance Department
The Task Force was charged with responsibilities including the identification of areas of duplication and fragmentation among agencies and development of a plan to address problems and promote efficiency and cost-effectiveness; development of a plan to educate state agency personnel on HIV/AIDS issues; development of a comprehensive list of state agency programs which serve infected/affected persons; and establishment of a collaborative relationship with the New York State AIDS Advisory Council.
A significant outcome of the Governor's Interagency Task Force on HIV/AIDS was the extensive information sharing, networking and collaboration on HIV/AIDS issues that took place among the member agencies. The meetings helped to increase awareness of emerging issues related to HIV/AIDS and to clarify each agency's responsibilities, current activities and challenges in responding to HIV/AIDS.
To provide a forum to facilitate continued interagency collaborations, the Task Force has continued to met periodically. Examples of the issues addressed by the Task Force include faith-based prevention efforts, HIV/AIDS stigma and discrimination and updates on HIV case reporting and partner notification. In addition, a pilot program addressing prevention education for youth in criminal justice settings was developed and implemented at the recommendation of the Office of Children and Family Services. This pilot will bring together local youth criminal justice agencies and other adolescent and HIV community-based organizations with the goal of exploring innovative methods to target incarcerated youth for primary prevention of STDs, HIV and pregnancy, using, in part, a peer education model.
