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Grantee Information

Housing Works, Inc.
57 Willoughby Street Brooklyn, NY 11201
(347) 473-7404 (Phone)
(347) 473-7464 (Fax)

Currently serving 2,000 individuals living with HIV/AIDS and their families annually, Housing Works has extensive experience providing and coordinating health and social services for persons with histories of incarceration. Housing Works’ comprehensive service continuum includes primary care clinics, AIDS Adult Day Health Care centers, 140 housing units, and the nation’s largest employment program for PLWHA, HIV prevention/education and an array of other services.

Grant Project Information

City of Dallas HIV/AIDS Health Improvement Program through DOORS
$230,473
Radames Rios
(212) 966-0466
r.rios@housingworks.org

Abstract

The purpose of this project is to provide access to prevention and treatment services to reentering minorities who are HIV+ or at high risk of HIV infection by coordinating a seamless, comprehensive continuum of health, social, and support services for incarcerated individuals in pre-release and/or recently released status, and by ensuring continuity and retention in case and successful resource linkage through extensive care coordination and follow-up services. Upon release from prison, ex-offenders in NYC face challenging circumstances and instability, which can also increase their HIV risk or exacerbate their existing HIV-related conditions. This project targets reentering minorities (primarily African-Americans and Hispanics/Latinos) who are HIV+ or at high risk of HIV infection, including men who have sex with men, individuals with substance use and/or mental health disorders and women of color. The program proposes to provide the following services: discharge planning, case management, HIV testing, counseling and treatment adherence, referrals to substance abuse and mental health treatment, referrals to comprehensive health care services, referrals to job placement assistance programs; and referrals to housing assistance agencies. The expected outcomes will be to increase available HIV-related services, provide continuum of care and services by formally engaging linkage partners, provide resources and educational materials and provide treatment adherence services. Performance measures include assessing the number of clients who are connected to care or services, the number of clients that take their medications as prescribed and the number of clients that have a source of ongoing care. In addition, the program hopes to have HIV-related services available to 100 percent of program participants at specified time intervals. To evaluate the program, Housing Works will conduct an evaluation incorporating quantitative and qualitative data collected from formerly incarcerated individual who receive intake services at Housing Works upon release as well as pre-release medical reports, as well as inmates who participate in pre-discharge planning. Data will be collected through surveys, case records, and clients’ self reports. The evaluation content will include both subjective and objective measures.

OMH objective(s) toward which the project’s results most contribute:

• Increased awareness, education, & outreach to address racial/ethnic minority health & health disparities problems
• Improved access to, and appropriate utilization of, health & other community-based services and systems through user-centered design for racial/ethnic minorities (e.g., health IT, culturally/ linguistically appropriate services, service provider education/ training, workforce diversity)