HIV Outpatient Care

HIV is now very much a “have” and “have-not” disease. Those who have an adequate living environment and a decent support system have a good chance of properly managing their illness.

But for those who do not have such advantages — and live with some combination of chemical dependency, mental illness and/or homelessness — the outlook is grim.

The Outpatient Program at Bailey-Boushay House is here to help. The 400 people with HIV served by this program are treated with respect and dignity, key elements in building trust.

At Bailey-Boushay House:

• Registered nurses dispense medications, and teach clients how to take them. They also care for patients with infections, wounds and minor illnesses.
• Those with mental illnesses can see a psychiatrist two days a week, with no limit to the number of visits they can have.
• Our Chemical Dependency Outpatient Program serves people who are unable to succeed in traditional abstinence-based programs.
• We foster a sense of community, something vitally important for people who have long felt alone in the world.
  
  

The right medications, at the right times

To successfully treat HIV, multiple medications need to be taken correctly, often several times a day and at specific times.

Our goal is to help clients achieve proper medication, so their HIV viral loads are suppressed and undetectable. This gives them more options for healthy lives, and prevents the risk of them spreading HIV in the community.

People with hunger insecurities and a host of other issues need significant support to make that happen.

Our Outpatient Program offers:

• Individualized medication packets with separate doses labeled with day and time
• A hot breakfast, hot lunch, and take-home dinner
• Daily activities ranging from chair yoga and art projects to video games and movies
• Counseling sessions focused on coping skills, nutrition and money management
• Hot showers, hair cuts and a laundry room with industrial-size machines
• Dry socks and foot care

All of these services provide the structure, support and sense of community that helps people succeed in managing their medications.

Our approach is working: Across the country there is a 20 percent adherence to managing medications among people who are mentally ill, chemically dependent or homeless. At Bailey-Boushay House, the adherence rate is about 90 percent.

A safe harbor, day and night

The large day room at Bailey-Boushay House often bustles with life. People talk, play chess, read or participate in one of the many daily activities. They can also get a snack in the corner kitchen any time they like.

Down the hall are rooms for group meetings and therapy sessions, and a resting room with reclining chairs. Computers are also available, which help clients look for work and permanent housing.

At night, the day room is converted to a staffed homeless shelter, with cots, blankets and privacy dividers for up to 50 people.

Outpatient Program Admission

To learn about outpatient program eligibility and admission, see our Outpatient Admission page for details.