HIV/AIDS Collaborative Governance and the Role of an Annual Retreat in Fostering Health Services: The Palm Beach County Experience

The complex HIV/AIDS conundrum calls for innovative approaches to tackle associated challenges. The multifaceted nature of the problem and the enormous burden on various sectors of a country’s economy warrant a cross-sector stakeholders’ engagement for effective and sustainable solutions. This research examines the use of an annual retreat involving interviews of key stakeholders involved in health services CARE Council as an avenue for collaborative governance within a local system context in the fight against the epidemic. The results highlight how inclusive and strategic preparation can result in judicious allocation priorities for various service categories. The results also convey how relevant capacities and competencies are jointly developed through creative inputs, outputs and/or outcomes to target populations. The apparent role of facilitative leadership and the embrace of cultural humility promote mutual commitment among the stakeholders toward purposeful ends. The case represents the viability of collaborative governance as a feasible postmodern alternative to mainstream governance and service delivery to various publics, especially in this contemporary era of complexity and volatility. Keywords: Health Services, HIV/AIDS, Annual Retreat, Target Populations, CARE Act, Collaborative Governance. DOI: 10.7176/JESD/10-22-08 Publication date: November 30th 201