Ten Things You Can Do!

1. Use the plan as a source of information about HIV in the Houston Area.  Orient employees, volunteers, Board members, or individuals new to the area. You can also use the plan as a reference for information about the structure of HIV prevention and care services in the community and learn what services are currently available.

2. Review each strategy in the plan and consider how, as an individual or an agency, you can participate in the implementation of specific activities. You can also adopt an activity and/or participate in implementation with other stakeholders. Contact the Health Planner in the Office of Support for more information.

3. Use the plan in program development or when determining new target populations or a new HIV prevention or care initiative to undertake.

4. Align agency-level strategic plans and business plans with the vision, mission, goals, and objectives of the plan.

5. Review the plan for ways that individuals and agencies can become involved in local HIV decision-making and attend meetings of the Ryan White Planning Council and the Houston HIV Planning Group where the plan will be discussed.

6. Use the plan’s dashboard as a way to assess the HIV health status of the Houston Area.

7. Become a plan “champion” by being trained to speak about the plan to interested groups and by promoting the plan to peers, providers, and other networks. Contact the Health Planner in the Office of Support for more information.

8. Reference the plan in research proposals and grant applications.

9. Use the plan as documentation for the need to prioritize HIV in local health policy.

10. Consider charitable giving or other funding decisions that support implementation of the plan.