Topic: Housing and HIV- Bridging Health and Housing for Vulnerable Populations
Organization Name: Fenway Health
Organization Type: Health Center
Location (city/state): Boston, Massachusetts
Special or Vulnerable Population: People living with HIV and HCV, Public Housing
Challenges: Co-infection of HIV and HCV among public housing residents
Promising Practice: CHWs for case management, supportive housing programs, HUD HOPWA program
The intersecting crises of HIV, Hepatitis C (HCV), and affordable housing pose significant challenges for people living with HIV. HCV rates are rising, affecting 3.2 million coinfected individuals, and it now kills more people in the U.S. than HIV. Stable housing has been linked to better HIV outcomes, with supportive housing offering critical wraparound services. The Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program administered by U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) is a primary housing model. The Corporation for Supportive Housing emphasized the critical role that supportive and affordable housing programs play in addressing the funding gap left by HOPWA’s underfunding for individuals living with HIV.
According to the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center HCV screening is recommended for all individuals initiating HIV care, as well as annually for high-risk groups such as men who have sex with men (MSM) and those on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Hepatitis C treatment is effective for people living with HIV, though careful management of drug interactions is crucial. Clinics must implement protocols that include lab work, counseling, and case management to assist with treatment access and adherence.
In Boston, Fenway Health, the largest non-hospital HIV/AIDS care provider in Massachusetts, leads a Community Health Worker (CHW) program to support individuals living with HIV. AIDS Action, Fenway’s public health division, provides housing prevention programs, legal services, and youth programming. Their housing department serves low-income households with at least one member living with HIV, offering housing navigation, stabilization services, and rental assistance through funding from HOPWA, the City of Boston, and other sources. Fenway Health leverages additional resources like rental assistance, furniture banks, and benefits programs such as SSI/SSDI and Medicaid/Medicare to meet the housing and health needs of this vulnerable population.
Source Link:
Webinar 2: Housing and HIV: Bridging the Gap Between HIV and Housing in Special and Vulnerable Populations