By Karen Ocamb

About 100 people, mostly HIV/AIDS services stakeholders and clients, gathered April 21 at Patriotic Hall in downtown Los Angeles to hear the final two candidates for director of L.A. County's Office of AIDS Programs and Policy (OAPP) outline their vision of the position. The public forum was appreciated by many concerned about funding cuts and the pall of distrust that hangs over decision-making at the often-opaque bureaucracy.

Both candidates -- Mario Perez, OAPP interim director since Chuck Henry was relieved last year, and New York's Errol Chin-Loy -- were impressive, several audience members later told IN Los Angeles magazine. Public Health Division Chief of Operations John Schunhoff, to whom OAPP reports, conducted the public interview process.

Chin-Loy disclosed that he is half Cuban, half Asian and is HIV positive. He holds a master's in nursing with an emphasis on HIV. He was NYC AIDS coordinator, vice president of housing works, helped create HIV/AIDS programs at Bellevue Hospital Center and Beth Israel Medical Center, and was founding president of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care.

Perez holds a degree in biology from Berkeley, where he started his HIV/AIDS work. He worked for the respected Tarzana Treatment Center before moving to OAPP. He was also one of the original members of the HIV Commission.

"Mario was very well prepared and articulated his vision clearly: better evaluation of services, greater transparency and a continued focus on core medical services and prevention," said Whitney J. Engeran III, executive director of Being Alive/Long Beach.

"They are both well-qualified. But I'm a little biased -- I like Mario. I think he's great for OAPP because he's open and people already know him," said Carla Bailey, the HIV-positive co-chair of the HIV Commission.

Several audience members who asked for anonymity fearing contract retribution concurred with one who said, "Compared to Errol's credentials, Mario looked green. But John [Schunhoff] wants a 'yes man', so Mario will be hired."

Whoever is chosen will face difficulties, said Phil Curtis, director of government affairs at AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA): "diminished funding for programs despite growing demand," as well as questions about the cost of maintaining the county's bureaucracy.

Miki Jackson, an AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) consultant, was disappointed that there were only two candidates and with the "secret" selection process. "It makes me question," Jackson told IN, "how much weight will be given to comments from the public and stakeholders, which were due May 1."

Schunhoff told IN that he expects the department to have a recommendation by May 1, which would be then sent to the Chief Administrative Office before going to the Board of Supervisors. "From my perspective, OAPP should be an efficient and effective office which works collaboratively with the community to prevent HIV and assure effective services for those with HIV," Schunhoff told IN.

Meanwhile, on March 29, several organizations asked the Board of Supervisors to offset the more than $1.9 million reduction in Ryan White CARE Act funds.