definitions: incid-targ

Incidence Rate: The number of cases of a disease per population per specified time period often expressed per 100,000 population (AIDS rates are often expressed this way).

Lead Agency: The agency within a Title II consortium that is responsible for contract administration; also called a fiscal agent (an incorporated consortium sometimes serves as the lead agency).

Needs Assessment: A systematic process to determine the service needs of a defined population; a definition of the extent of need, available services, and service gaps by population and geographic area.

OMB (Office of Management and Budget): The office within the executive branch of the Federal government which prepares the President's annual budget, develops the Federal government's fiscal program, oversees administration of the budget and reviews government regulations.

OSE (Office of Science and Epidemiology): The office within BHRD, which administers the SPNS program.

Part A: The part of the CARE Act that provides emergency assistance to localities (EMAs) disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic.

Part B: The part of the CARE Act that enables States and territories to improve the quality, availability, and organization of health care and support services to individuals with HIV and their families.

Part C: The part of the CARE Act that supports primary medical care and early intervention services to people living with HIV disease through grants to service organizations.

Part D: The part of the CARE Act that supports research and services for children with HIV and their families and the HIV/AIDS Dental Reimbursement Program..

Part F: The part of the CARE Act that funds AETC, SPNS.

PHS (Public Health Service): An administrative entity of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. As of October 1, 1995, HRSA is an operating division of the PHS.

Planning Council: A planning body appointed or established by the Chief Elected Official of an EMA whose basic function is to establish a plan for the delivery of HIV care services in the EMA and establish priorities for the use of Title I CARE Act funds.

PLWH: Person Living with HIV Disease.

Prevalence: The total number of persons living with a specific disease or condition at a given time.

Prevalence Rate: The proportion of a population living at a given time with a condition or disease (compared to the incidence rate, which refers to new cases).

Priority Setting: The process used by a planning council or consortium to prioritize service categories, to ensure consistency with locally identified needs, and to address how best to meet each priority.

Public Health Surveillance: An ongoing, systematic process of collecting, analyzing and using data on specific health conditions and diseases (e.g., Centers for Disease Control and Prevention surveillance system for AIDS cases).

QA (Quality Assurance): A broad spectrum of evaluation activities aimed at ensuring compliance with minimum quality standards.

Ql (Quality Improvement): Activities aimed at improving performance.

Resource-allocation: The legislatively mandated responsibility of planning councils to assign CARE Act dollars or percentages across specific service categories, using key information such as documented need, defined service priorities and other resources as part of the process.

RFP (Request for Proposals): An open and competitive process for selecting providers of services (sometimes called RFA or Request for Application).

SAMs (Self-Assessment Modules): Self-assessment tools for planning councils and consortia.

SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration): The entity within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that administers alcohol, substance abuse and mental health programs.

SCSN (Statewide Coordinated Statement of Need): A written statement of HlV-related service needs for the entire State; the SCSN is developed through a process that includes representatives of all CARE Act titles, providers, PLWHs and public health agency(s).

Seroprevalence: The number of persons in a population who test HlV-positive based on serology (blood serum) specimens; often presented as a percent of the total specimens tested or as a rate per 100,000 persons tested.

Seroprevalence Report: A report that provides information about the percent or rate of people in specific testing groups and populations who have tested positive for HIV.

SPNS (Special Projects of National Significance): A health services demonstration, research and evaluation program funded under Part F of the CARE Act. SPNS projects are awarded competitively.

Surveillance Report: A report providing information on the number of reported cases of a disease such as AIDS, nationally and for specific sub-populations.

TA: Technical Assistance.

Target Population: A population to be reached through some action or intervention; may refer to groups with specific demographic or geographic characteristics.