From: MPetrelis@aol.com
Date: Wed, 10 Mar 1999 01:40:51 EST
Subject: Rep. Coburn's AIDS assessment letter to HRSA


 March 9, 1999
 
 Joseph O'Neill, M.D.
 Associate Administrator, HIV/AIDS Bureau
 Health Resources and Services Administration
 5600 Fishers Lane, Room 7-05
 Rockville, MD  20857
 
 Dear Dr. O'Neill,
 
 	As you know, the Ryan White CARE Act calls for assessments of
 grantee agencies  that receive federal dollars through the Health Resources
 and Services Administration.  I was reminded of this fact by consumers of
 CARE funded organizations  who are dissatisfied with some services.
 
 	In a request for proposals released in February, the San Francisco
 HIV Health Services Planning Council  stated that it "is required by the
 Ryan White CARE Act to 'assess the efficiency of the administrative
 mechanism in rapidly allocating the funds to the  areas of greatest need
 within the eligible area and, at the discretion of the planning council,
 assess the effectiveness of the services offered in meeting the identified
 needs.'"  
 
 	The request further states the "Council has not performed such an
 assessment before and is seeking to contract with an independent evaluator
 to perform this assessment. The funds to conduct this assessment will be
 drawn either from the funds used to administer the CARE grant or from the
 Planning Council Support Budget.  The Council has formed a Grantee
 Assessment Task Force to oversee the process. The Council is interested in
 quantitative and qualitative data, as well as recommendations for
 improvement of the grantee's functions." 
 
 	Could you please explain why the San Francisco Council has never
 assessed its grantee agency, the AIDS Office of the San Francisco Department
 of Public Health, even though the act mandates it.  Also, how many other
 Councils around the country have assessed their grantees?  I would be
 extremely interested to know exactly how many Councils have -- like San
 Francisco's -- failed to conduct an assessment.
 	
 	Thank you for your attention to this matter.  I look forward to a
 timely response. 
 
 						Sincerely,
 
 
 						Tom Coburn, M.D.
 						Member of Congress