Homeless Living with AIDS/HIV Get Housing Relief from HUD and HHS
More thorough description of grants

The Bridge Project will: (1) Increase the quantity and quality of housing for multiple-diagnosed persons; (2) Provide direct access to housing, substance abuse, mental health, and primary health care services for non-served/underserved multiple-diagnosed populations; (3) Develop an integrated, client driven harm reduction delivery system of care which is cost-effective, reduces the level of dependence on emergency hospital care and meets the complex needs of the multiple-diagnosed client. This award is being made in conjunction with over $1.5 million of additional financial resources that are being committed for this project under the Ryan White CARE Act.1 The project fills a gap identified in the continuum of care for the homeless.

The program includes community advocacy with housing providers, neighbors and family members to identify and secure housing, promote community acceptance and family unification. Ten units of tenant-based rental assistance and short-term emergency payments, such as motel vouchers will be offered in connection with comprehensive case management and supportive services to help maintain a supportive living environment. The support will help clients access care offered from other community sources. The Housing Authority and SCAP are participants in the Continuum of Care Coordinating Group, which brings together a wide spectrum of housing and service providers to address strategically local housing needs as well as health care, legal services, personal care and other support for homeless persons, including persons living with HIV/AIDS. Over $1.2 million of additional financial and volunteer resources were committed for this project. The planned activities are consistent with the State of California's Consolidated Plan.

The activities will be managed by the Miami office of this New York-based non-profit housing provider in coordination with local Florida organizations. The Share Project will involve specialized outreach efforts by Camillus Health Concerns and discharge planning for client transition from inpatient care by Jackson Memorial Hospital. HSI will provide assistance to housing providers on developing and operating supportive housing programs, including the publication of an annual housing services guide for distribution to clients and providers, seminars on property management and service design for programs serving special needs populations, leveraging predevelopment loans, business plans and other program development tools and tracking systems on client outcomes. The activities will be coordinated with other supportive services provided by Dade County Homeless Trust, a public-private partnership on housing and services planning. The proposed activities are consistent with the Metropolitan Dade County Consolidated Plan.

This program has two components: (1) the use of twelve emergency beds for the medically fragile to provide a supportive transition for an estimated 75 persons from crises to stable, secure and appropriate living situations; and (2) the creation of a community resource center to provided structured activities, vocational training and a range of other related assistance for approximately 700 clients per year. The resource center will be operated by HERO and will begin a low-cost copying service to provide employment experiences for clients. These activities address unmet needs in the metropolitan area's ten-year strategic HIV Housing Plan for Greater Baltimore by providing services to multiple-diagnosed people with HIV/AIDS in emergency shelters. Over $2.4 million of additional financial and volunteer resources were committed for this project. The planned activities are consistent with Baltimore City's Consolidated Plan.

With low-demand entry requirements as an attraction, participants will then be offered life skills training including risk-reduction counseling, HIV education and self-care. Case managers will assist with obtaining entitlement benefits and accessing all proper mental health, primary care, and a full range of supportive services. Transitional housing support will continue for up to five months and a housing counselor will aid in developing a plan for permanent housing with continued case management and supportive services. As part of its information dissemination activities, the grantee will develop a technical assistance publication for organizations interested in replicating the project.

Three new services will help fill gaps in a continuum of care for clients: (1) housingcoordination will be undertaken to provide clients with information on housing availability through a centralized database and make services referrals, periodic assessments of local housing needs, and to coordinate activities of area organizations; for example, Crisis Intervention, of Houston, Inc., will provide after-hours housing referrals to help clients access housing; (2) short-term crisis housing will be provided by The Shoulder, Inc., a detox center, for 40 individuals a year at an intermediate care facility in coordination with the Ben Taub Hospital Psychiatric Clinic and drug/alcohol treatment programs; over 300 individuals are anticipated to receive drug/alcohol treatment through the Houston Recovery Campus during the one year period of this grant; and (3) a deposit pool will allow nine organizations to access funds from the Bering Community Service Foundation for utilities and rental deposits for 214 individuals who will be exiting transitional drug treatment programs. Over $2 million of additional funds for supportive services were leveraged for this project. The Resource Group is participating with the HIV Housing Task Force on the development of Houston's Consolidated Plan and the 1995-8 Strategic HIV Comprehensive Plan and other HIV-related needs assessments.

Operation Link's goal is to demonstrate that the traditionally underserved population can be effectively linked to a broad continuum of housing services designed to meet their special needs. Five highly integrated graduated housing components are designed to move the target population from the streets to permanent housing: (1) an Assertive Mobile Outreach unit (AMO); (2) a No/Low Demand Drop-In Center; (3) a supported Transitional Housing Facility; (4) a Permanent Housing Facility; and (5) support from a staff of experienced behavior health and social service professionals and a team of specially trained Operation Link "Peers".

The support will help clients navigate the social service system and achieve a more stable, healthy and independent lifestyle. During its three years of operation, Link will provide services to up to 600 homeless persons, 75 of whom will receive direct housing placements. It is anticipated that up to 600 homeless persons, 75 of whom will receive direct housing placements. It is anticipated that up to 30 will be women and children who will be provided with further specialized Link services. Catholic Community Services is a non- sectarian, nonprofit social services corporation.

The project will assume a child-centered approach which focusses on the needs of the entire family prior to and after the death of a family member. The development of a long-term plan for the placement of the child after the death of a guardian will begin in advance of the crisis. An aftercare program for children and guardians will also be present to address many of these issues. Educational forums will be held to instruct participants on health issues, skill development, domestic violence, and parenting. Two case managers and three respite and recreational coordinators will be available in the housing unit and the Edgewood Family Center. The project is consistent with the state of California's Consolidated Plan and will support the 1995 Continuum of Care and the 1994 Five Year HIV/AIDS Housing Plan for San Francisco.

Content Archived: April 9, 2010