The State of Latinos in HIV Prevention Community Planning

Examples of Latino Involvement in Community Planning

Many community planning groups have been or are starting to address the issues of PIR for Latinos. The following are some examples of how health departments and community planning groups are addressing PIR for Latinos the community planning process. The four examples below come from responses to a questionnaire sent to a number of jurisdictions with large Latino populations. The survey asked for a description of activities and strategies used to recruit and retain Latino CPG members. (Click here for contact information.)

Texas: Regional Representation

In 2000, Texas completed a restructuring from 11 prevention planning groups to 6. The resulting six CPGs represent a widely diverse population and epidemic across this large state. Each group strives to achieve CPG representation that reflects that area's unique epidemic; therefore, Latino representation is more crucial in some areas of the state than in others. In the most recent PIR report sent to the CDC, Latino representation on all six CPGs met or exceeded population and epidemic profile estimates by geographic area, reflecting success in recruitment of Latinos to community planning.

Texas conducts community planning through the partnership of the CDC, the Texas Department of Health (TDH), a contractor to provide technical assistance on community planning processes, and CPG leadership comprised of one TDH-appointed co-chair and one community elected co-chair for each of the six areas. Two contractor consultants who are Latino also serve these three plan areas. All six areas have Latinos in leadership roles, such as community co-chair-elect, intervention selections committee, and core group leaders (for defined areas within the larger planning areas). A Price Fellowship was awarded to a Latino CPG member from Texas in 1999. (The fellowship allows representatives from three non-governmental, community-based organizations to spend a month at the CDC in Atlanta. Price Fellows explore with CDC professionals the latest, most effective approaches to HIV prevention.) Latinos are also recruited as CPG members through involvement with CBOs who target Latinos and/or address Latino issues related to HIV and STD prevention.

New Jersey: Recruitment Efforts

New Jersey has steadily maintained a 15-20% Latino representation on its CPG. This is equivalent to the Latino proportion of the epidemic in New Jersey. Representation includes Latinos at risk for infection and those living with HIV/AIDS.

There are generally adequate numbers of applications for CPG membership from the Latino community in New Jersey. As a result, when nominations occur, and Latino representation needs to be maintained, there are community members waiting to fill vacancies. Latinos have served as community co-chairs, and Latino committee chairs serve as leadership role models. One reason for the proportional representation on the New Jersey CPG is that the CPG makes an effort to maintain strong collaborations with CBOs and community leaders.

Michigan: Membership Committees

The Michigan HIV/AIDS Council (MHAC) -- the statewide planning group -- and regional planning groups rely on membership committees and individual members and member organizations for recruitment of Latinos to the community planning process. Members identify and invite potential members to attend CPG meetings. They try to assess potential members' interest in joining and encourage those interested to submit a formal application. The Latino workgroup, a membership committee, provides recommendations to the MHAC on issues affecting Latinos. In addition to providing important input to the larger body, the Latino Workgroup facilitates recruitment and retention of Latino members by providing an opportunity to influence policies that affect Latinos.

The Latino Workgroup is currently compiling a resource inventory of health and human service agencies serving Latino communities. The inventory will serve as a foundation to assess gaps in HIV-specific resources and guide priorities for capacity building relative to HIV services targeting the Latino community.

Florida: Minority Network

In Florida, they recruit members into the community planning process through newsletters, newspaper advertising, posters and flyers, television, outreach workers, radio, word-of-mouth, and sponsorship of public events at parks and other social gathering places. Another recruitment strategy the community planning partnerships have used is rotation of meeting sites throughout an area to facilitate accessibility by community members who may not have a means to travel to a meeting due to financial, health or other reasons.

The Florida HIV/AIDS Minority Network actively recruits Latinos into the Network from areas of the state where they represent a significant proportion of the total population or where HIV prevention efforts among the Latino population are minimal and warrant local initiatives. These volunteers, who act as liaisons, are responsible for a number of activities that include participating in the local community planning process. Once active on the local level, liaisons are in a position to be nominated and appointed to the Florida Community Planning Group (FCPG).