Description
Housing is health care. A safe and stable home is essential to individual health and well-being. For persons living with HIV, housing provides the "home base" that allows for all other services to become readily accessible. Attending doctors' visits, becoming compliant with medications and learning to manage their illness now becomes the individual's priority instead of just finding a bed.
AFH offers permanent housing programs to provide safe affordable living and supportive services to individuals and families impacted by HIV. To engage individuals in developing a stable, healthy and productive future, all AFH housing programs provide intensive case management, community and social support. Our comprehensive service model includes creating individualized plans to address financial stability, family issues, basic needs, mental health and substance abuse treatment and how to link to needed medical and social services.
Population Served
People/Families of People with HIV/AIDS / At-Risk Populations / Poor,Economically Disadvantaged,Indigent
Program Success Monitored ByHelpOrganizations describe the tools used to measure or track program impact.
AIDS Foundation Houston monitors all program outcomes--many of which are reported to government and grantmaking organizations as a condition of funding. In addition AFH works with researchers such as Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor Pediatric AIDS Initiative to determine the efficacy of educational and behavioral programs.
Examples of Program SuccessHelpOrganization's site specific examples of changes in clients' behaviors or testimonies of client's changes to demonstrate program success.
Michael* came to AFH jobless, homeless, HIV+, and struggling to survive. He moved into one of our housing facilities where he slowly began to recover. As his health improved, a connection to his sense of self and his talents returned as well. His self-esteem restored, he courageously ventured back into professional life. He had a background in the arts and began seeking employment with arts-oriented organizations.
Imagine our joy when Michael delivered the following message to our housing program staff:
“I will no longer be needing your assistance in the form of housing services due to my recent acquisition of a new job out of state...I appreciate all the help you have given me and promise that as soon as I am able will pay your kindness forward in the form of a donation to your program.”
Today, Michael is the Program Director for a prestigious arts organization in a major American city.
255 clients live in AFH housing. 100% are linked in healthcare.
*Name changed to protect anonymity
Description
Established in 1996, Camp Hope was the first camp for HIV-positive children in Texas. Camp Hope is first and foremost a chance for campers to escape the burdens of living with a debilitating disease. For an entire week HIV-positive children ages seven to 16 engage in traditional camp activities, sing songs, ride horses and just enjoy being a kid. They face their fears by singing karaoke in the talent show or swimming to the deep end of the pool. They conquer their uncertainty and build self-esteem by climbing to the top of the rock climbing tower and sliding down the zip line. Year after year, timid, hesitant kids arrive, but by the end of the week they have an increased sense of confidence, rejuvenated hope for their futures and the knowledge that they are not restricted by their illness.
Our hope is that Camp Hope is not only a place for campers to have fun, but also a place they can begin setting the groundwork for stable and fulfilling lives.
Population Served
Children Only (5 - 14 years) / People With Aids (pwas) / Poor/Economically Disadvantaged, Indigent, General
Program Long-Term Success
It is AIDS Foundation Houston's goal to ensure the social and emotional wellbeing of over 100 HIV+ children who attend Camp Hope every year. Camp Hope supports campers by serving three main purposes.
1) Camp Hope is a respite for youth burdened by the stigma and discrimination of HIV.
2) Camp Hope increases youth’s confidence through positive peer interaction and social support.
3) Camp Hope provides youth with new life skills for healthy, successful futures.
Through engaging camp activity and psycho social support from medical staff and trained counselors, 100+ low-income HIV-positive youth will learn healthful lifestyle behaviors and gain the social and emotional support they need to successfully transition into adolescence and adulthood.
Description
Offender Peer Education Program
AFH's Prison Initiative provides HIV/STD education to incarcerated men and women in over 100 prisons across the state of Texas. Through over 1,100 trained peer educators, over 74,000 incarcerated men and women receive life-saving information and skills each year, reaching half the Texas prison system population. Through powerful peer education, individuals among the nation's highest at-risk population learn to combat the spread of HIV.
Population Served
Offenders/Ex-Offenders / / Adults
Description
For persons living with HIV, access to nutritional foods is of dire importance. Proper nutrition strengthens their bodies’ ability to fight infection and maximizes the effectiveness of anti-retroviral medications. Because of this, AIDS Foundation Houston created Stone Soup, the only food assistance program designed to meet the needs of HIV positive clients in the Houston area.
Population Served
Adults / People With Aids (pwas) / Poor/Economically Disadvantaged, Indigent, General