KING COUNTY, WASHINGTON - Approximately $5.5 million in federal and state funds will be entrusted to the HIV/AIDS Planning Council to support HIV/AIDS care services for low-income residents of King County for the 2005 and 2006 contract years. To determine how these funds should be allocated, the Planning Council's Care Prioritization Committee will hold a series of meetings in May, June and July. These meetings will produce a prioritization and allocation plan that will be presented to the Planning Council for approval at its July 12 meeting.

These prioritization meetings will be held on May 6, May 13, May 20, June 3, June 10 and July 1, from noon to 4:00 p.m., at Mt. Baker Community Club, 2811 Mt. Rainier Drive South. Everyone is welcome to attend, observe and provide input to the planning process.

You may also provide input to the Planning Council Administrator by mail, phone or email:

The planning effort will be based on data gathered through a rigorous needs assessment process undertaken over the last two years. This assessment has gathered input from hundreds of persons living with HIV/AIDS as well as service providers throughout King County.

The HIV/AIDS Planning Council, established by the King County Executive in 1992, determines how certain federal, state and local funds are used for HIV/AIDS prevention and care efforts in King County. The Planning Council, by federal mandate, includes a wide variety of providers, representatives of at-risk populations, and unaligned people living with HIV/AIDS who are consumers of care services.

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