As of May 1, 2021, there is some evidence that people with HIV may be receiving the COVID-19 vaccine at a lower rate than the general population. The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) worked with public health communications to develop this toolkit. If you are a RWHAP provider or other HIV organization, please use the newsletter or email/letter templates to reach clients. These templates can be modified as needed to meet the needs of your organization and clients.

• COVID-19 vaccine email/letter template for people with HIV (DOCX)
• COVID-19 vaccine newsletter template for people with HIV (DOCX)

Additionally, you can use this printable 1-page flyer to provide information about the COVID-19 vaccine.

• About COVID-19 vaccine 1-page flyer (PDF)

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program COVID-19 response – April 1, 2021, subrecipient call (PDF)

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program COVID-19 response – March 2021 update

Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program COVID-19 response – January 2021 update (PDF)

Please visit the COVID-19 response page to see all the resources Hennepin County is providing.

COVID-19 information

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, What to Know About HIV and COVID-19
• Take Care Hennepin -- available in English, Spanish, Somali, and Hmong
• Minnesota Department of Health, Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)
• Stay Safe MN

COVID-19 vaccine information

• Hennepin County COVID-19 vaccine FAQs in English
• Hennepin County COVID-19 vaccine FAQs in other languages
• Minnesota Department of Health, About COVID-19 Vaccine
• Minnesota Department of Health’s COVID-19 Vaccine Phases and Planning webpage
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination

Contracted provider reporting

Fiscal year 2020 (FY2020) – quarterly reports

Quarterly reports are due the 20th for the previous fiscal year quarter. Part A deadlines are June 20, September 20, December 20, and March 20. Part B deadlines are July 20, October 20, January 20 and April 20. 

• FY2020 quarterly report data collection sheet (XLSX)
• FY2020 Effectiveness Measures Guide (PDF)
• Submit a FY2020 quarterly report through Qualtrics.

Fiscal year 2021 (FY2021) – quarterly reports

Quarterly reports are due the 20th for the previous fiscal year quarter. Part A deadlines are June 20, September 20, December 20, and March 20. Part B deadlines are July 20, October 20, January 20 and April 20.

• FY2021 quarterly report collection sheet (XLSX)
• Submit a FY2021 quarterly report through Qualtrics.

FY2021 quality improvement plans

FY2021 quality improvements plans are due April 1, 2021. Progress is reported quarterly through the FY2021 quarterly report.

• FY2021 HC RWHAP QI Workplan instructions (DOCX)
• FY2021 HC RWHAP QI Workplan Template

COVID-19 Data Report (CDR)

Contracted providers receiving 2020 Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act funding through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) are required to submit a monthly COVID-19 Data Report (CDR) by the 10th. Hennepin County Public Health will then submit this information to the RWHAP federal funder on your behalf. The final submission is due June 10, 2021, for the month of May 2021.

• COVID-19 Data Report (CDR) Example (PDF)
• Submit a COVID-19 data report (CDR)

You will be asked to indicate if your agency has provided telehealth.

"The Health Resources Services Administration defines telehealth as the use of electronic information and telecommunications technologies to support long-distance clinical health care, patient and professional health-related education, public health and health administration. Technologies include videoconferencing, the internet, store-and-forward imaging, streaming media, and terrestrial and wireless communications.

Telehealth is different from telemedicine because it refers to a broader scope of remote healthcare services than telemedicine. While telemedicine refers specifically to remote clinical services, telehealth can refer to remote non-clinical services, such as provider training, administrative meetings, and continuing medical education, in addition to clinical services." (What is telehealth? How is telehealth different from telemedicine?, The Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), https://www.healthit.gov/faq/what-telehealth-how-telehealth-different-telemedicine)

Resources

Medical case management

The medical case management acuity assessment and client service tiers were updated through a recipient/subrecipient partnership. This new acuity assessment and client service tiers should be used starting March 1, 2021.

• 2021 RWHAP Medical Case Management Acuity Assessment (DOCX)
• 2021 RWHAP Medical Case Management Training Presentation (PDF)

Finances

• Health Resources and Services Administration, Policy Clarification Notice (PCN) #16-02: Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Services: Eligible Individuals & Allowable Uses of Funds (PDF)
• Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Services: Eligible Individuals and Allowable Uses of Funds (PDF)

CAREWare

Information on how to enter services, reporting deadlines, and other policies and procedures can be found on the Minnesota Department of Health CAREWare team webpage.

Standards

• Standards of Care (Minnesota Council for HIV/AIDS Care and Prevention)
• Health Resources and Services Administration Fiscal Monitoring Standards Part A (PDF)
• Health Resources and Services Administration Fiscal Monitoring Standards Part B (PDF)
• Health Resources and Services Administration Program Monitoring Standards Part A (PDF)
• Health Resources and Services Administration Universal Monitoring Standards Part A and B (PDF)

JustUs Health HIV Resource Guide

Data reports and presentations

• 2020 Early Identification of Individuals with HIV/AIDS Report (PDF)
• 2019 Ryan White Housing Presentation (PDF)

Newsletters

• Fall 2020
• Winter 2019
• Spring 2019
• Summer 2018
• Winter 2017
• Spring 2017

Announcements

• November 10, 2020
• 25th anniversary – November 5, 2020

The 2020 HIV/AIDS Comprehensive Needs Assessment collected over 800 responses from people with HIV living in Minnesota and the Minneapolis-St. Paul Transitional Grant Area from March to November 2020. The survey was developed collaboratively by Hennepin County Public Health, Minnesota Department of Human Services, and the Minnesota Council for HIV/AIDS Care and Prevention.

Reports

Reports will be released in summer 2021.

Data collection

Data collection was originally going to be done online and in-person. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the data collection methodology moved to online, paper, and phone modes.

Learn more from the HIV community needs assessment team’s experience: Community data collection during the COVID-19 pandemic Lunch and Learn (YouTube video)

The Minnesota Council for HIV/AIDS Care and Prevention (MCHACP) is comprised of people with a stake in HIV prevention and care, including people from HIV-affected communities. The council also operates as a collaborative effort between the Minnesota Department of Human Services, the Minnesota Department of Health, and Hennepin County Public Health. 

Minnesota Council for HIV/AIDS Care and Prevention

Do you have HIV or think that you might have HIV? Do you want to get tested for HIV or get access to medications that can prevent you from being infected with HIV?

The Ryan White system of care

The Ryan White Program at Hennepin County provides funding for HIV-related services and healthcare targeting low-income residents living with HIV across the 13-county metropolitan area, centered on Hennepin County. HIV care services allow people living with the virus to lead healthy, vibrant lives. These services also stop the virus from spreading.

HIV testing is an important tool to prevent new infections. Today’s test results are available in five minutes. For little or no cost, residents can access HIV testing through primary care providers, community-based settings, private insurance, Medical Assistance, Medicare, and other public health insurance plans. 

The Ryan White system of care factsheet (PDF)  lists HIV-related healthcare providers and the services offered by each provider.

Red Door

Red Door offers sexual health care for all people and sterile syringes for injection drug users. Get confidential HIV/STI testing and treatment in a safe, caring setting at the Red Door.

• 525 Portland Avenue South in Minneapolis
• Make an appointment or get test results by calling 612-543-5555.
• Walk-ins are also available.

Get PrEP — the medication that can prevent HIV infections

PrEP is a daily pill for people who don’t have HIV but are at high risk of getting it. This medication, along with condom use, safer sex counseling, and routine testing for sexually transmitted infections, can help reduce your risk of getting HIV. The Red Door Clinic prescribes PrEP. To find more places where you can get PrEP, view the interactive map of providers in the metro area. Select "individual provider locations" to get additional information.

Resources for HIV and sexual health

The JustUs Health AIDSLine can help by:

• Answering your questions via phone, email or chat services
• Helping you get sterile syringes, tested for HIV, access to the medications that prevent HIV infections, financial assistance, and much more.
• View MAP's list of HIV-related services available across Minnesota.