Grants and Data Management

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 and the management of cash. 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 and Payment 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 Contract Management System (CMS). This centralized database facilitates management of the AIDS Institute's state and federal contractual funding. Through CMS, the AIDS Institute has the capacity to aggregate contract data, prepare summary reports, respond to a variety of requests and track contracts and payments.

Operations and Vendor Management

This unit is responsible for facilities management at multiple locations.  The unit manages space allocation, furniture needs, assist with floor plans and relocation of employees, and coordinates telecommunications. The unit is also responsible for obtaining funding approvals through the Division of the Budget spending controls system (B-1184), submittal of Vendor Responsibility Profiles to the Office of the State Comptroller for state funded contracts, and the coordination of internal controls for the AIDS Institute.

Grants, Procurements and Purchasing

This unit is responsible for all aspects of the solicitation, grant and purchasing 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.  The unit is also responsible for managing all State and Federally funded purchasing needs for the AIDS Institute. 

Contact:

Leah Caola
Director, Office of Administration and Contract Management
(518) 473-7238
Leah.Caola@health.ny.gov

Back to top of page

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 collaborates with the NYS Office of Information Technology Services and the Department of Health (DOH) Office of Health Information Management on statewide IT projects.

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 maintains the AIDS Institute’s components of the 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 application 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), the Program Evaluation and Monitoring System (PEMS), the Opioid Overdose Prevention System, the Provider Directory, the Treatment Cascade Information System, as well as other smaller systems designed to collect data on contract deliverables for over 600 contracts.

ISO manages various databases containing client-level data. These databases are updated periodically through processing of forms and extracts submitted by service providers. ISO produces reports on program activities and the status of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, integrating data from sources in the Institute, the DOH, and other external governmental agencies. The reports allow AI management to make data-driven programmatic decisions and perform other administrative functions. ISO submits data at regular intervals to outside funding agencies such as the CDC and HRSA.

ISO produces presentations for conferences and seminars. In addition, maps are generated by ISO staff using geographic information software (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 coverage of AIDS Institute initiatives.

Contact:

Joseph Kobilca
Director, Information Systems Office
HIV Health Care, Grants and Data Management
(518) 473-8459
joseph.kobilca@health.ny.gov

Back to top of page

Data Systems Development and Reporting

The Data Systems Development and Reporting Unit develops, maintains, tests, supports, and provides training on the AIDS Institute’s main reporting platform, the AIDS Institute Reporting System (AIRS), to service providers and AIDS Institute staff.  The unity also evaluates and assists providers with data cleanup and submission of their required Federal and State reporting from AIRS, oversees the monthly AIRS User Groups, and manages and creates many of the AI Institute’s SAP-Business Intelligence (SAP-BI) table and chart reports available to all AI staff.

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 and aggregate data to the AIDS Institute.  The unit is also responsible for overseeing standard reporting requirements to support the monitoring and evaluation of AIDS Institute-funded service initiatives.

The unit assists in system implementation, provides technical assistance, identifies barriers to implementation, and requests corrections to the software.  Via subcontract, the unit manages the maintenance and periodic upgrades to both AIRS and AIDA.  The unit oversees AIRS training while the subcontractor provides training statewide.

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, AIDS Institute Aggregate Reports for contract monitoring, and AIRS Data Extracts for internal agency queries.

The unit helps the Ryan White funded providers in submitting their required Federal data to the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) for the Ryan White Services Report (RSR).  The unit also coordinates submissions with directly funded providers and the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. 

The unit is involved with the AIDS Institute Data Application (AIDA), the large data repository for data submitted electronically from providers for years.  The unit ensures that the data content of AIDA is synchronized with changes made to the AIRS system.  The data in the AIDA data repository is the main source for the many reports created using the SAP-BI software.  This powerful and important reporting tool is utilized to create a variety of aggregate and data quality reports including interactive table ad chart reports.

Contact:

Ronald Massaroni
Director, Data Systems Development and Reporting
Office of Grants and Data Management
518-486-1320
ronald.massaroni@health.ny.gov

Back to top of page

Health Care Finance and Analytics

Health Care Finance and Analytics (HCFA) is responsible for developing and implementing the analysis, evaluation and research agenda for the AIDS Institute’s Office of Medicaid Policy and Health Care Financing. HCFA secures access to data sources throughout the NYS Department of Health and beyond in order to perform data analyses in support of policy initiatives, such as Ending the Epidemic (ETE), and support program needs as they relate to health care and services for individuals served by the AIDS Institute, including those affected by HIV and hepatitis as well as drug user health and sexual health-related issues. Working closely with many areas within the Department of Health as well as outside collaborators, HCFA plays a key role in projects designed to assess the effectiveness of a variety of program initiatives. HCFA 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 performing rate setting activities associated with HIV services, HCFA also examines Medicaid reimbursement structures and their fiscal impacts over time for 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 K. Levey
Associate Director for Health Care Finance and Analytics
Office of Medicaid Policy and Health Care Financing
(518) 486-9463
wendy.levey@health.ny.gov

Back to top of page

Digital Health Technology and Communications

Digital technology is having a transformative impact on health care and presents challenges and opportunities for ensuring quality HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), hepatitis C (HCV), LGBT, and drug user health.  The Office of the Medical Director (OMD) and the AIDS Institute are exploring ideas 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 AIDS Institute staff, including conferences, workshops, presentations, strategic planning, and other initiatives.

The continuing integration of new technologies into the work of OMD will foster important collaborations and clinical benefits.

YGetIt? (YGI) Project

New York State (NYS) Department of Health AIDS Institute, with the Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Depart of Health and Human Services, developed the YGetIt? (YGI) Program. YGI utilizes two core components:

  • GET!, a mobile application paired with Peer Engagement Educator Professionals (PEEPs). A health educator, peer navigator, and HIV care advocate are selected as PEEPs. Participants are recruited from communities disproportionately burdened by HIV/AIDS (i.e. MSM of color, transgender, people who inject drugs, marginally housed) in NYS.
  • Tested, a comic featuring diverse characters affected by a broad range of health topics (HIV, STI, SUD) and related issues. Tested is available on various digital platforms (Instagram, Facebook, and online comic forums). Viewers and health professionals are connected to credible health information and resources.

Contacts:

Cheryl Smith, MD
Associate Medical Director of Clinical Services
212-417-4536
cheryl.smith@health.ny.gov

For more information:
www.ygetit.com