Systems and Program Support

Office of Administration & Contract Management

Program Description

In carrying out the mission of the AIDS Institute, the Office of Administration and Contract Management is responsible for setting AIDS Institute policy and oversight of all AIDS Institute activities related to grants and contract management, budget development, fiscal management, and operations management. The Office carries out key activities necessary to ensure that AIDS service dollars from all sources, including State, CDC, and HRSA funds, as well as Medicaid, are devoted to the development and implementation of a full continuum of HIV services throughout the State.

Resource Management

This section carries out activities associated with State and Federal funds distribution. Staff are involved in the preparation of State expenditure plans and Federal grant submissions. The unit is charged with using funds from all sources in a complementary fashion to support a range of services for affected populations in all regions of the State in a manner which minimizes duplication of effort and maximizes available resources.

Contract Processing

This unit ensures the execution of over 700 contracts annually and processing monthly payments for those subcontractors. Staff in this unit develops guidelines, materials, and strategies for not-for-profit agencies to strengthen financial management and internal control structures and oversees a management review program that assist contractors in ensuring solvency and effectiveness of operations. Staff also provide technical assistance to providers regarding compliance with auditing and accounting principles.

Data Management

This unit is responsible for maintenance of the AIDS Institute's Management Information System (CMS Plus). This centralized database facilitates management of the AIDS Institute's state and federal contractual funding. Through CMS Plus, the AIDS Institute has the capacity to aggregate contract data and prepare summary reports used to respond to requests from interested parties including the AIDS Advisory Council, Department of Health offices, other state agencies, planning bodies, and legislators.

Staff Operations

The Staff Operations Unit (SOU) is responsible for operations management at multiple locations with AIDS Institute staff. The unit ensures AIDS Institute compliance with internal control policies and building regulations, manages space allocation, maintains equipment, oversees the relocation of employees and coordinates telecommunications.

Contact:

Elizabeth Wood
Director, Office of Administration and Contract Management
(518) 473-7238
ecf02@health.state.ny.us

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Office of Planning and Policy

Program Description

The Office of Planning and Policy is the organizational unit responsible for ongoing, cross-programmatic policy development, strategic planning, budgetary and legislative analyses. Duties include:

  • Development and analysis of AIDS Institute policy, at the recommendation of AIDS Institute management staff and as directed by the AIDS Institute director;
  • State and Federal legislative proposal development, analysis and implementation; coordination of review and comment for all Center for Community Health and AIDS Institute-related state legislative proposals;
  • State and Federal budget analyses and recommendations;
  • Strategic planning development, implementation and oversight for internal AIDS Institute use and for inclusion in the Department of Health’s planning initiative;
  • HIV confidentiality oversight, management and operation, including management of the AIDS Institute Special Investigations Unit and coordination of HIV Confidentiality training;
  • Management support and administration for the AIDS Advisory Council and its various subcommittees and the Interagency Task Force on HIV/AIDS, providing support to both of these entities with scheduling meetings, generating meeting minutes, drafting reports and letters;
  • Management support and administration for the Statewide AIDS Service Delivery Consortium Advisory Group;
  • Implementation, management and oversight of the Commissioner’s annual World AIDS Day week of events with a display of NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt panels visited by approximately 2,000 youth and a Commissioner's Award Ceremony;
  • Review, draft and edit as appropriate all Executive Correspondence sent to the AIDS Institute by the Department’s Office of Governmental and External Affairs;
  • Review and management of AIDS Institute-wide publications such as "About the AIDS Institute";
  • Review of all proposed conference abstract submissions, journal and manuscript publications; and
  • Speech writing and presentations at the request of AIDS Institute executive staff.

The Office of Planning and Policy is physically and organizationally located within the AIDS Institute Executive Office.

Contact:

Johanne Morne
Director
Office of Planning and Policy
(518) 473-2903
jem18@health.state.ny.us

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Information Systems Office

Program Description

The Information Systems Office (ISO) is the information technology center of the AIDS Institute. ISO provides technology in support of AIDS Institute programs to help make them more efficient, integrated, and accessible.

ISO responsibilities include: providing technical assistance and systems support for all information systems; management and maintenance of the AIDS Institute technology infrastructure including administration of the local and wide area networks; telecommunications support; technology purchasing and a variety of other technical support services. The ISO oversees the AIDS Institute's technology infrastructure at three locations: Albany, Menands, and New York City. ISO Help Desk technology specialists respond to about 1,000 requests for technical assistance annually. Requests range from new computer set-ups, to assistance with software applications, hardware, and/or the networks. In addition, ISO staff provide support for videoconferencing in AIDS Institute conference rooms.

ISO staff develop, administer, and support the AIDS Institute’s components of the Department of Health (DOH) web sites, including the Health Information Network (HIN), Health Provider Network (HPN), DOH public web site, and the AIDS Institute’s Intranet. ISO staff develop software for AIDS Institute staff, including the AIDS Institute Data Application (AIDA), the Contract Management System (CMS), the AIDS Institute Data Reporting System (AIRS) and the Prevention Evaluation Monitoring System (PEMS) Planning Application as well as other information systems designed to collect data information on contractor deliverables for over 600 contracts.

ISO staff maintain various AIDS Institute databases with data submitted by providers; perform statistical analyses as needed in response to programmatic and policy issues; and provide in-house consultation to AIDS Institute staff to support programmatic decision-making. ISO staff produce reports on program activities and the status of the HIV/AIDS epidemic using data from many sources maintained by the AIDS Institute, the Department, and external agencies.

ISO prepares graphic presentations for conferences and seminars. ISO staff also produce maps using geographic information systems (GIS) for both decision support and informational purposes. GIS maps are enormously effective for identifying gaps in services, overlapping services, distances traveled for HIV/AIDS-related services, and geographic distributions of AIDS Institute initiatives.

Contact:

Keith Cheung
Director
Information Systems Office
(518) 473-8459
kpc04@health.state.ny.us

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Office of Program Evaluation and Research (OPER)

Program Description

The Office of Program Evaluation and Research (OPER) works to enhance the quality of HIV/AIDS prevention interventions, clinical care and service delivery systems in New York State through comprehensive, coordinated, and innovative research and evaluation initiatives.

OPER conducts scientific assessments of Institute-funded or managed programs to determine the extent to which they are achieving their stated objectives. Factors associated with performance are identified and recommendations are made to improve program outcomes. Technical assistance is also provided to programs evaluating their own performance or the performance of contracted providers. Services provided include: grant application assistance; assistance preparing institutional review board (IRB) applications; evaluation planning; sample selection; development of evaluation instruments; and study implementation, including training, data collection, data analysis, and summary of research findings.

A wide variety of existing and prospectively collected data are analyzed to assist in AIDS Institute program planning and policy development. One example is the Community Need Index (CNI) that provides estimates of the relative need for HIV prevention resources for every zip code in New York State. The CNI serves as a useful tool for targeting program resources. Another example is the HIV Counseling and Testing Resource Directory. Updated annually, this document provides information on anonymous and confidential HIV counseling and testing providers in New York State.

OPER conducts reviews of scientific and professional literature for AIDS Institute programs. An abstract of HIV prevention and HIV health care research is also compiled and forwarded to Institute staff and other individuals on a bimonthly basis via a newsletter. The purpose of the newsletter is to keep staff informed about state-of-the-art developments in HIV/AIDS prevention and health care services.

OPER works with other units in the Institute as well as external partners to conduct independent research. Study results are presented at national conferences and published in peer-reviewed journals.

Contact:

Haven B. Battles
Evaluation Specialist IV
Office of Program Evaluation and Research
(518) 402-6814
hbb01@health.state.ny.us

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Office of Systems Development

Program Description

The Office of Systems Development (OSD) develops, maintains and provides training on information systems for both service providers and AIDS Institute staff; coordinates content and data submissions for federal and State reporting requirements for both Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC); reviews and submits data as required for the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Modernization Act of 2006 Reporting; coordinates submissions with the New York City Department of Health/Public Health Solutions and other New York State Eligible Metropolitan Areas (EMAs) as well as directly-funded provider agencies; and provides information and assistance to Ryan White and CDC funded grantees in other states.

OSD is responsible for the design, testing, and training of new data and information management products, including the AIDS Institute’s main reporting platform: AIDS Institute Reporting System (AIRS). The Office is also responsible for overseeing standard reporting requirements to support the monitoring and evaluation of AIDS Institute-funded service initiatives and to help track emerging and unmet needs in populations affected by HIV and AIDS. OSD manages information system implementation, working with Division staff on technical assistance needs assessments, identification of barriers to implementation, corrections to software, and training of AIDS Institute providers and staff. OSD coordinates reporting content and requirements with the AIDS Institute Division of Prevention. OSD also collaborates with the Information Systems Office on systems development, testing, and maintenance and on data submission content and protocols.

AIRS, the principal software product managed by OSD, is the successor to the AIDS Institute’s Uniform Reporting System (URS). AIRS is a relational, client-centered database designed to support tracking of individual client-level demographics, status histories and services. The system also collects information on education, outreach and training events at the provider level and reports anonymous client-level or aggregate data to the AIDS Institute and other funding agencies such as New York City Public Health Solutions (formerly MHRA), the New York City Department of Health and Mental Health, and other Part A EMAs. Other products developed by OSD include the AIDS Institute Data Application (AIDA), the companion system to the provider-level Uniform Reporting System. AIDA is a client¬-server application which maintains data submitted electronically from provider sites. The AIDA system interface has recently been upgraded by the AIDS Institute Information Systems Office. OSD ensures that the data content of AIDA is kept synchronized with changes made to the AIRS system. Via subcontract, OSD manages maintenance and periodic upgrades to both the AIRS and AIDA and oversees related provider training statewide.

Reports currently generated by the AIRS software include: HRSA Ryan White Program Data Reports (RDRs); CDC (PEMS) Prevention Evaluation Monitoring System-compliant prevention client level service data; AIDS Institute monthly reports and data extracts; CDC PEMS-compliant CTR data; NYC PHS monthly program reports and performance-based contract data submissions; other administrative and client record reports for internal agency use; COBRA case management, primary care enhanced rate (Tiers 5 and 7) and general clinic claims; and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) compliant claims, eligibility determination and electronic remittance processing.


Recent additions to the AIRS system include data to address emerging HRSA client level data requirements; Treatment Adherence monitoring; COBRA outcomes monitoring; and Prevention Pre- and Post- Intervention knowledge assessments.

Contact:

Vida Behn Chernoff
Director, Office of Systems Development
Administration and Data Systems
(518) 402-6790
vab01@health.state.ny.us