Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program receives HHS funding and has Federal PHS deemed status with respect to certain health or health-related claims, including medical malpractice claims, for itself and its covered individuals.
Ensuring Access
We provide HIV screening and testing in the places where patients already are—on the streets and in our clinics, many of which are based at shelters—to identify those living with the virus who were unaware of their status. For those who test positive, staff dedicated specifically to counseling, linkage, and retention ensure that patients are educated about their health, promptly connected to comprehensive treatment, and have not only the knowledge, but also the necessary resources and support to adhere to it. Care is not only tailored to patients’ individual experiences of homelessness, but also is nimble in the face of shared circumstances such as COVID-19. At the height of the pandemic, case managers pivoted to providing telehealth case management to promote HIV care retention. For other patients, HIV prevention resources are also free and offered through low-threshold programming.
