Casita Esperanza (The Little House of Hope)
UBP received a grant from HUD’s Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program to develop a transitional housing program for homeless persons with HIV/AIDS and who are active alcohol or other drug users. The program provides both emergency and transitional housing for up to 39 single adult men and women. Services include case management, recovery readiness counseling, placement in harm reduction and substance abuse treatment programs, HIV education, survival skills training, health care education and coordination, recreational activities, hot meals, nutritional counseling, support groups and assistance obtaining primary care, entitlements, ongoing community-based supportive services and placement in permanent housing.
The program is a Special Project of National Significance (SPNS) and involves a unique model of health services for persons with multiple diagnoses. An essential component of the SPNS program is to disseminate the outcome of this project and assist other organizations to replicate this program in their own community.
The program is located in a new facility provided by the New York State Department of Social Services/Homeless Housing Assistance Program and also receives support from the New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Services/Offices of Supportive AIDS Housing and SRO Supportive Services program, the AIDS Institute’s Supportive Housing Services.