The Arkansas HIV Planning Group as a collaborative entity and partner with the Arkansas Department of Health's HIV/TB/ Hep C Section is charged with the mission to decrease the number of Arkansans who become diagnosed with HIV. We serve to decrease stigmas, provide knowledge and education, and help those living with HIV reach an undetectable status and stay there. To these means, AHPG moved forward with a planning process to address challenges, barriers and social determinants that impact those living with HIV and AIDS. The primary purpose of the AHPG is to collaborate and participate in the development of a comprehensive plan for the prevention of HIV transmission utilizing the tenants of the National HIV AIDS Strategy and guidance from the Center for Disease Control. As a collective body, AHPG will identify precedence in HIV prevention needs based on priority targeted populations. Such populations should be approached through "high impact" prevention modes that ensure that HIV prevention resources are directed to these priority targeted populations culminating in efficient and focused outcomes. AHPG encourages reduce reporting documentation, streamlining communications, coordination and implementation of needed services including mental health and substance abuse, across the continuum of HIV prevention, care and treatment services. Our concurrence of the states Jurisdictional Plan was decided by the voting body on August 9, 2013, during our update retreat in the auditorium of the Arkansas Department of Health. The vote was unanimous.
