Oregon Balance of State HIV/AIDS Housing & Services Systems ...
Oregon Balance of State HIV/AIDS Housing & Services Systems ...
Oregon Balance of State HIV/AIDS Housing & Services Systems ...
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<strong>Oregon</strong> <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong> <strong>Housing</strong> and <strong>Services</strong> <strong>Systems</strong> Integration Plan 1<br />
Context <strong>of</strong> <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong> <strong>Housing</strong> in <strong>Oregon</strong> <strong>Balance</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>State</strong><br />
This section provides an overview <strong>of</strong> the OHOP program and describes the overall context for<br />
<strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong> housing and services in the balance <strong>of</strong> state.<br />
<strong>Oregon</strong> <strong>Housing</strong> and Opportunities in Partnership (OHOP) Program<br />
Many people living with <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong> find themselves in need <strong>of</strong> housing assistance and support<br />
services at some point during their illness. As many as 60 percent <strong>of</strong> all persons living with<br />
<strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong> report a lifetime experience <strong>of</strong> homelessness or housing instability. 1 Stable housing<br />
promotes improved health, sobriety or decreased use <strong>of</strong> alcohol and illegal drugs, and, for some<br />
people living with <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong>, a return to paid employment and productive social activities.<br />
The federal <strong>Housing</strong> Opportunities for Persons with <strong>AIDS</strong> (HOPWA) program provides funding,<br />
distributed by both formula and competition, dedicated to the housing needs <strong>of</strong> people living with<br />
<strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong> and their families. In <strong>Oregon</strong>, HOPWA funds are allocated separately to the Portland<br />
Eligible Metropolitan Area (EMA)—Clackamas, Columbia, Multnomah, Washington, and Yamhill<br />
Counties in <strong>Oregon</strong>, and Clark County, Washington—and the rest <strong>of</strong> the state <strong>of</strong> <strong>Oregon</strong> (referred to<br />
as the “balance <strong>of</strong> state”). These two regions (metro Portland and the balance <strong>of</strong> state) each receive a<br />
portion <strong>of</strong> HOPWA formula funding and may compete for additional funding against other<br />
metropolitan and statewide regions defined by HUD.<br />
The <strong>Oregon</strong> Department <strong>of</strong> Human <strong>Services</strong>, Public Health, <strong>HIV</strong>/STD/TB Section, <strong>HIV</strong> Care and<br />
Treatment program (<strong>HIV</strong> Care and Treatment) has provided HOPWA-funded housing services in the<br />
balance <strong>of</strong> state through the <strong>Oregon</strong> <strong>Housing</strong> Opportunities in Partnership (OHOP) program since<br />
2002. The four OHOP <strong>Housing</strong> Coordinators serve four defined regions <strong>of</strong> the balance <strong>of</strong> state.<br />
Figure 1 on the following page shows a map <strong>of</strong> the four OHOP service regions.<br />
1 Aidala, A., Columbia University. Homelessness, <strong>Housing</strong> Instability and <strong>Housing</strong> Problems among Persons Living with <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong>.<br />
Paper presented at the <strong>Housing</strong> and <strong>HIV</strong>/<strong>AIDS</strong> Research Summit, June, 2005. Available online:<br />
http://www.nationalaidshousing.org/toolkit/sound_investment.pdf (Accessed: February 21, 2008).
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