Collaboration refers to coming together of various stakeholders from different spheres with even divergent interests working assiduously to address a complex problem through collectively making decisions and/or implementing decisions and with societal health and well-being as the overarching rationale (Gray 1989). The nature of engagement requires harnessing human and material resources as a conduit to effectively meet various expectations associated with addressing the problem. The complex nature of the problem, as in this case HIV/AIDS, demands collective long-term engagement for sustainable solutions which will enable target populations to consistently receive needed services in consonance with established care and treatment standards. The stakeholders involved in collaboration may or may not derive any direct benefits as commitment to make a difference trumps any real or implied benefits. Collaboration in this context involves three-actor domains in Broward County: service providers, non-elected community leaders, and the HIV infected and affected, collectively called council members working together to provide needed care and treatment to target populations. Actors hereby connote participants who are part of policy process in either voluntary or mandatory capacity to help produce workable outputs and/or outcomes. And these actors' efforts are greatly enhanced by the grantee and support staff of the deliberative body called the Council. The grantee is the official recipient and administrator of funds geared toward care and treatment of target populations, and support staff is trained personnel who assist council members and grantee on deliberation and related duties. Together, the council members, grantee, and support staff are integral to collaboration. There is no doubt the HIV/AIDS conundrum is a community crisis in Broward County, as it is the case nationally and internationally, and collaborative engagement of multiple stakeholders across sectors appears to be a proactive strategy for creative solutions and management of the crisis.
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