The Hospital to Housing program provides permanent, scattered-site housing and supportive services to homeless individuals dually or triply diagnosed with HIV or another chronic medical illness, substance addiction, and/or mental illness. Evolving from the Chicago Housing for Health Partnership, a four-year research and demonstration project (2003-2007), Hospital to Housing is a permanent citywide collaboration between 10 healthcare, housing, and social service agencies. Led by the AIDS Foundation of Chicago, Hospital to Housing currently provides 183 permanent housing subsidies for homeless individuals who are discharged from three area hospitals.

Harm reduction is a service strategy that begins by accepting clients where they are in relation to substance use, and actively involves them in determining how to improve their lives. Harm reduction case managers engage clients in a non-judgmental manner and work with them to reduce the risk of HIV transmission and harm caused by substance use, and if desired by the client, become clean and sober. This innovative method has proven successful in helping an extremely vulnerable, hard-to-reach population to stabilize their lives and move forward to independence with dignity.

Hospital to Housing also employs the Housing First model, which is a strategy to end homelessness that places individuals into stable, permanent housing as quickly as possible. Through intensive case management and links to community-based services, Housing First allows individuals to achieve the maximum level of self-sufficiency for which they are capable and helps them integrate into the community in which they live.

Hospital to Housing consists of 183 units which are made up of 85 HUD-funded Supportive Housing Program (SHP) units; 33 Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) units; and 65 SHP units for chronically homeless individuals through the Samaritan Bonus Project.

Eligibility requirements: To be eligible for Hospital to Housing, individuals must meet all of the following criteria:

• Have a documented history of homelessness or chronic homelessness
• Have at least one of the eligible chronic medical conditions, including HIV
• Demonstrate an ability to live as independently as possible within a private, residential setting.

Partner agencies: Better Existence with HIV (BEHIV), Christian Community Health Center (CCHC), Chicago House, Heartland Human Care Services, Housing Opportunities for Women, Interfaith House, Mercy Housing Lakefront, Vital Bridges, Mt. Sinai Hospital, Stroger Hospital, and the Westside VA Hospital.

More information: Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it at the AIDS Foundation of Chicago at (312) 922-2322 x303.