Systems and Program Support

Office of Administration & Contract Management

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, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funds, as well as Medicaid, are devoted to the development and implementation of a full continuum of HIV services throughout New York State.

Resource Management

This unit carries out activities associated with state and federal funds distribution. Staff are involved in the preparation of state expenditure plans. 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 approximately 700 contracts annually and processing monthly payments for contractors.  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 assists contractors in ensuring solvency and effectiveness of operations.  Staff also furnish 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 respond to a variety of requests.

Operations

This unit is responsible for facilities management at multiple locations.  The unit manages space allocation, maintains equipment, oversees the relocation of employees, and coordinates telecommunications. The unit is also responsible for obtaining funding approvals through the “1184” system, submittal of Vendor Responsibility Profiles for state contracts, and the coordination of internal controls for the AIDS Institute.

Grants and Procurements

This unit is responsible for all aspects of the solicitation and grant processes for the AIDS Institute.  The unit works directly with AIDS Institute program staff on the development of solicitations, from the initial concept of the Request for Applications (RFA) to the issuance of contracts resulting from the procurement. The unit is also be responsible for oversight and review of all AIDS Institute grants and budgets (State and Federal); ensuring compliance with federal requirements; monitoring grant spending, and providing policy interpretation and guidance to AIDS Institute management and providers.

Contact:

Douglas Manion, Director
Office of Administration and Contract Management
 (518) 473-7238
douglas.manion@health.ny.gov

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Office of Planning and Community Affairs

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

  • Policy development and analysis; development of policy options; provision of policy guidance and interpretation to AIDS Institute management and staff.
  • Development and analysis of legislation and regulations; overseeing implementation of legislation and regulations; convening stakeholders to gather input on the implementation of policy and regulations.
  • AIDS Institute-wide strategic planning and guidance for program-specific strategic planning, ensuring coordination and consistency with Office of Public Health, Department of Health (DOH), and national strategic plans.
  • Management of confidentiality policy and implementation in accordance with confidentiality legislation, including management of the AIDS Institute Special Investigation Unit, which provides policy interpretation and investigates complaints related to confidentiality.
  • Management, oversight, support and directing the deliberations of all planning and advisory bodies, including the New York State AIDS Advisory Council (AAC), the Interagency Task Force (IATF) on HIV/AIDS, and the New York State HIV Advisory Body (HAB).
  • Management of all special events, such as annual World AIDS Day events, including the Commissioner’s event in Albany and events in other regions.
  • Development and oversight of all forums, such as annual forums on disparities related to specific populations, including overseeing community and population-specific planning.
  • Management of AIDS Institute work groups and committees, forum planning work groups, etc., including developing agenda, establishing priorities, and directing deliberations.
  • Representing the AIDS Institute in Office of Public Health and DOH work groups, including developing AIDS Institute input related to the work of such groups.
  • Development of AIDS Institute-wide publications, including gathering the input of all program areas and developing comprehensive documents.
  • Speech writing and development of presentations for the Director and executive staff of the AIDS Institute. 
  • Responding to requests from the Commissioner’s office and Department executive staff.

In addition, the Office of Planning and Community Affairs plays a central role in AIDS Institute activities related to Ending the Epidemic in New York State.  This effort involves ensuring that all persons living with HIV/AIDS are linked to and retained in care and treatment and are virally suppressed to improve their health and prevent transmission, that prevention activities are targeted to persons at risk, and that testing is expanded to identify persons who are unaware of their status and link them to care and treatment.  The goal of these initiatives is to reduce the number of annual new infections to the extent that we reach sub-epidemic levels.  This has involved and will continue to involve convening a wide variety of stakeholders to gather input, directing deliberations to achieve consensus, and developing statewide plans.  It also involves ensuring rapid responses to issues raised by the Governor’s office, DOH executive staff, and community representatives.  Ending the Epidemic in New York State involves all program areas of the AIDS Institute.  The Office of Planning and Community Affairs directs the efforts of all program areas in this regard and ensures the coordination of activities in all divisions, offices, and bureaus.

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

Contact:
Karen Hagos
Director
Office of Planning and Community Affairs
(518) 473-2903
Karen.hagos@health.ny.gov

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Information Systems Office

The Information Systems Office (ISO) is the information technology center of the AIDS Institute.  ISO provides information technology services to AIDS Institute programs in support of their business processes and information needs, with equal emphases on maintaining the confidentiality, integrity and accessibility of information. ISO also collaborates on statewide IT initiatives with NYS Office of Information Technology Services.
                                                                                                         
ISO is responsible for providing technical assistance and system support for the AIDS Institute's information systems. Responsibilities include: the management and maintenance of the AIDS Institute technology infrastructure; the administration of local and wide area networks; technology purchasing and a variety of other technical support services.  The office oversees information technologies at three separate locations: Albany, Menands and New York City. 

ISO develops and maintains the AIDS Institute’s components of the Department of Health (DOH) web sites, which consist of the Health Commerce System, the DOH public web site on the Internet, and the DOH Insider intranet.  ISO develops applications for use by AIDS Institute staff. The portfolio is made up of a number of applications which include the AIDS Institute Data Application (AIDA), the Contract Management System (CMS), the New York State Condom Access Program System, the HIV Education and Training System, PATH, the Administrative System (AdmSys), the Document Management System (DMS) and the Program Evaluation and Monitoring System (PEMS), as well as other smaller systems designed to collect data on contract deliverables for over 600 contracts.

ISO maintains and populates various databases containing client-level service data that is scanned and/or processed from providers.  ISO staff produce reports on program activities and the status of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, integrating data from sources in the Institute, the Department and other external agencies. The reports are used by management for data-driven programmatic decision-making and other administrative functions. ISO submits data at regular intervals to outside funding agencies such as the CDC.

ISO produces presentations for conferences and seminars.  In addition, maps are generated by ISO staff using geographic information system (GIS) for decision support and for informational purposes.  GIS maps are very effective in assisting program managers to identify gaps in services and overlapping services and to visualize geographic distribution of AIDS Institute initiatives.

Contact:

Keith Cheung
Director, Information Systems Office
(518) 473-8459
keith.cheung@health.ny.gov

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Office of Program Evaluation and Research

The Office of Program Evaluation and Research (OPER) conducts comprehensive, coordinated, and innovative program evaluation and research in multiple AIDS Institute program areas, with the aim to enhance the quality of HIV, STD, hepatitis C, and opioid overdose prevention services, clinical care, and service delivery systems in New York.

Working alongside AIDS Institute programs, OPER develops evaluation protocol, implements data collection, performs data analysis, and presents findings for a variety of initiatives and projects.  In addition to examining the extent to which program initiatives are achieving their stated objectives, factors associated with successes and barriers are identified, and recommendations are made to further improve program outcomes.

OPER provides technical assistance to AIDS Institute programs that collect and maintain their own program data. Assistance is provided with grant applications, Institutional Review Board (IRB) applications, evaluation planning, sample selection, development of data collection tools, maintenance of databases, data analysis training, and manuscript development.

OPER produces informational products using a wide variety of existing and prospectively collected data in support of AIDS Institute program planning and policy development. OPER also collects and conducts reviews of scientific and professional literature for AIDS Institute programs. The AIDS Institute Literature Update on the most recent research pertaining to HIV/AIDS, STD/STI, hepatitis, and drug user health is compiled and distributed to subscribers on a bi-monthly basis.  The AIDS Institute News Brief is published weekly to provide brief abstracts of media reports on HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, hepatitis, illicit drug use, and related subjects.

OPER collaborates with AIDS Institute programs and external partners on presentations for professional conferences and manuscripts for journal publication.

Contact:

Shu-Yin John Leung, M.A.
Director, Office of Program Evaluation and Research
Division of Epidemiology, Evaluation and Research
(518) 402-6814
shu-yin.leung@health.ny.gov

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Data Systems Development and Reporting

The Data Systems Development and Reporting Unit develops, maintains, and provides training on information systems for service providers and AIDS Institute staff, coordinates required data submissions for Federal and State reporting including reports to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reviews and assists providers with data cleanup as required for Ryan White reporting, and coordinates submissions with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene along with other New York State Eligible Metropolitan Areas (EMAs) and directly-funded provider agencies.

The unit is responsible for the design, testing, and training for the AIDS Institute’s main reporting platform – The AIDS Institute Reporting System (AIRS).  The unit 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.  The unit assists in system implementation, working with program staff on technical assistance needs assessments, identification of barriers to implementation, corrections to the software and training of AIDS Institute providers and staff. The unit collaborates with the Information Systems Office on development, testing, content, and protocols.  Via subcontract, the unit manages maintenance and periodic upgrades to both AIRS and AIDA and oversees related provider training statewide.

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.  Other products the unit is involved with include the AIDS Institute Data Application (AIDA), which is the companion system to the provider-level reporting system, and the External Reporting Application (ERA), a Crystal Reports companion product that generates graphic reports with greater flexibility.  AIDA is a client­-server application which houses the data submitted electronically from provider sites.  The unit ensures that the data content of AIDA is synchronized with changes made to the AIRS system.  Changes in AIRS also have to be accounted for in ERA.

Reports currently generated by the AIRS software include HRSA’s Annual Ryan White Services Reports (RSR), Monthly AIDS Institute Extract of data that is imported into AIDA, HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Extract for state surveillance of HIV-positive clients, AIRS Data Extracts for internal agency queries and AIDS Institute Aggregate Reports for contract monitoring.

Contact:

Larry Spiegel
Assistant Director, Data Systems Development and Reporting
HIV Health Care, Surveillance & Data Systems
(212) 417-4469
laurence.spiegel@health.ny.gov

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Medicaid Finance Systems and Research

The Medicaid Finance Systems and Research section is responsible for developing and implementing the analysis, evaluation and research agenda for the AIDS Institute’s Office of Medicaid Policy and Programs. The section secures access to data sources throughout the NYS Department of Health and performs data analyses in support of policy initiatives, such as Ending the AIDS Epidemic, and program needs related to health care and support services for individuals with HIV, hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections. Working closely with many areas within the Department of Health as well as outside collaborators, the section plays a key role in projects designed to assess the effectiveness of a variety of program initiatives. The section develops and produces health service research papers, technical reports and publications of considerable interest to the HIV/AIDS field; presenting work at state and national conferences. In addition to providing input into the development of payment rates associated with HIV services, the section also examines Medicaid reimbursement structures and their fiscal impacts over time on the populations served by the AIDS Institute. Finally, the section is available to provide technical assistance on issues related to data security and other data-related topics.

Contact:

Wendy Levey
Director, Medicaid Finance Systems and Research
Office of Medicaid Policy and Programs
(518) 486-1383
wendy.levey@health.ny.gov

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Digital Health Technology and Communications

The potential for electronic media to have transformative impact on health care presents new challenges and opportunities for ensuring quality HIV/AIDS, STD, and hepatitis services. The AIDS Institute’s Office of the Medical Director (OMD) is exploring issues in digital health communications, data utilization, and point of care tools and strategies. Since 2010, in conjunction with federal and other partners, the AIDS Institute’s Digital Health/Social Media Workgroup has sponsored a range of activities for funded community organizations, clinicians, and AI staff, including conferences, workshops, presentations, strategic planning, and other initiatives. The continuing integration of new technologies into the work of OMD promises to be an exciting focus with potential for important collaborations and clinical benefits.

Y Get It? (YGI) Project

The AIDS Institute teamed up with various stakeholders, community organizations, hospitals, academia, illustrators, writers, and young adults to develop the Y Get It? (YGI) Project. YGI utilizes a health management mobile application, “GET!,” paired with Peer Engagement Educator Professionals (PEEPs) to facilitate the timely entry of individuals age 18-34 into HIV care, encourage retention in care, and sustained viral load suppression among those in care. A health educator, peer navigator, and HIV care advocate were selected as PEEPs. Participants were recruited from communities disproportionately burdened by HIV/AIDS (i.e. MSM of color, transgender, people who inject drugs, marginally housed) in New York State. PEEPs interact with users in-person and through the mobile app via rapport building and informational messages sent weekly to facilitate conversation and utilization of care services.

Contacts:

Beatrice Aladin, Director
Clinical Education & Digital Health Initiatives
212-417-4778 - office
beatrice.aladin@health.ny.gov

Mark Thompson, Program Coordinator
YGI Program Coordinator
212-417-4470
mark.thompson@health.ny.gov