HIV/AIDS, Poverty and Homelessness - the New Paradigm: A Funder Briefing

March 12, 2009, 1:00-4:30 PM

The Ford Foundation, New York, NY
Convened by the Ford Foundation and FCAA, in collaboration with the National AIDS Housing Coalition

Housing status has been identified as a key structural factor that predicts access to services and health behavior choices among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), and new research demonstrates that over time, improved and stable housing is associated with reduced HIV risk behaviors, better health outcomes, and sharp reductions in costly emergency and inpatient services. The rapidly evolving body of research also has profound implications for the broader affordable housing and healthcare agendas, and can help pave the way toward improved housing policies and practices, structured and studied as public health interventions. At this funder gathering, participants explored the rapidly evolving body of research on the role that housing - or lack thereof - plays in the continuing HIV/AIDS epidemic and related health disparities. Teleconference access was available for funders who could not make the meeting in person.