NYC Officials To Reveal Newly Renovated Intake Center for HIV/AIDS Clients To Access Social Services, Health Care

New York City officials on Tuesday are expected to make public a renovated intake center that serves as the primary location for the city's HIV/AIDS Services Administration, a division of the city's Human Resources Administration, Long Island Newsday reports. The "state-of-the-art" center on Eighth Avenue will help the city deliver services to people living with HIV/AIDS by reducing wait times and reorganizing administrative services, according to Newsday. The renovations are part of Mayor Michael Bloomberg's (R) strategy to improve how the city delivers services to people with HIV/AIDS, Newsday reports. HIV-positive people and their families will be able to access public assistance programs, Medicaid, food stamps, housing assistance and home care services through the center. One of the "most significant" improvements at the center will be Internet-based software that allows case managers to be notified when clients are in the building and quickly access files to reduce client wait times, according to Newsday. "We have tried to incorporate all of the best and practical suggestions to provide the best client services," Iris Jimenez-Hernandez, executive deputy commissioner of the medical assistance and community services program for HASA, said. Terri Smith-Caronia, director of New York City policy for Housing Works, the largest AIDS housing provider in the state, said it is "great that HRA has taken it upon themselves to revamp the center in an effort to show that people living with AIDS deserve better quality service." Approximately 100,000 HIV-positive people live in New York City, which represents 3% of the U.S. population but has 16% of the country's AIDS cases, according to Newsday (Taylor, Long Island Newsday, 8/8).