AIDS Foundation of Chicago: Provider Services

Overview

AFC's Service Providers Council

AFC Service Providers Council Committee Descriptions

Members of AFC Service Providers Council

AFC's Service Providers Council Provides Leadership in the Fight against AIDS

What is the Service Providers Council?

The Service Providers Council (SPC) of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago is a membership coalition of 139 local organizations providing HIV/AIDS services and conducting HIV/AIDS education/prevention programs in the Chicago metropolitan area. The only coalition of its kind in the entire country, the SPC helps establish AFC grantmaking and advocacy priorities, and works collectively to identify service gaps and expand and improve HIV care and education programs. The SPC also serves as the consortium for the Chicago Cook County region for Title II of the Ryan White CARE Act.

How is the SPC Organized?

The SPC is organized into nine active committees. Six committees -- case management governance, prevention/education, housing, medical/primary care, mental health, and food and nutrition -- address service delivery and planning issues related to each of these areas. The advocacy/policy committee develops and implements the AIDS Foundation's public policy agenda. The membership committee recruits new SPC members and conducts the annual election of SPC officers. The executive committee is elected annually by the full membership, and is comprised of three officers, committee chairs, and three at-large representatives.

Most SPC committees meet monthly. Participating members determine committee goals, activities, and leadership. Program committees are typically involved in a range of service coordination, training, program development, and advocacy efforts. Committee participation enables member agencies to work in collaboration with other providers and to share information in their fields of interest and expertise.

The full SPC membership meets once each year at the annual joint meeting of the AFC Board of Directors and the SPC. Throughout the year, the SPC also sponsors special interest meetings for the member agencies and their employees. Each service provider forum highlights nationally-recognized speakers on current issues in HIV care and prevention, and allows providers to learn and share their expertise. The committees of the SPC identify topics and determine objectives for each forum, and assure that the issues and speakers are relevant to the metropolitan Chicago provider community.

Why Should an Agency Join the SPC?

There are many benefits to being a member of the Service Providers Council, including the opportunity to build relationships and share information with other AIDS service providers, help plan, coordinate and set priorities for prevention and care programs, and provide a voice for the people and communities your agency serves. In addition, all SPC members receive AFC's bi-monthly Action Bulletin newsletter, which includes up-to-date information about AIDS policy and program issues. Members also receive fax alerts from our statewide action alert network, as well as invitations to numerous meetings, conferences and presentations.

What are the Requirements for Membership?

Member agencies must be located in the Chicago metropolitan area, provide services to people with or at risk of HIV infection, and support the mission of the AIDS Foundation of Chicago and our Service Providers Council.

Full membership status, which includes voting privileges, is available only to not-for-profit agencies. For-profit agencies may apply for associate membership status; associate members may participate in SPC meetings and committees, but may not vote. Annual dues for both full and associate members are $35.

All member agencies are asked to appoint a designated representative and alternate representative to the SPC. Representatives are expected to serve on at least one committee and attend at least four general membership meetings each year.

How Can an Agency Join the SPC?

If your organization is interested in applying for SPC membership, please call Cheryl Beck at (312)922-2322.