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Multifaith Works & Rosehedge Merger Information

Two of the premier organizations within the AIDS Care Continuum of Seattle, have combined forces to strengthen the power of their services: Rosehedge and Multifaith Works.

Rosehedge provides Enhanced Assisted Living for people living with HIV/AIDS by providing around-the-clock nursing care for each resident, all meals and supportive services. 

Multifaith Works provides housing and support to those living with HIV/AIDS through their Transitional Housing Program and two emotional support programs:  CareTeams and Shanti. Both agencies serve one of the most vulnerable populations: men and women who are homeless, or on the verge of homelessness and are living with HIV/AIDS.

Background

Late in 2009, both agency's Board of Directors and Executive Directors began discussing how a merger of two organizations would galvanize their strengths by building capacity through joint programming and administrative consolidation.  In July 2010 we signed Conditions of Merger and expect the merger to be legally complete by January 1, 2011. 

Both agencies have a low-barrier for entry, providing housing for those who do not have alternatives.  If you are living on the street with HIV/AIDS, your first concern is not focused on some medical regimen.  Finding safe shelter and food are a priority before taking medications, and accessing your primary care physician is non-existent.  In fact, you probably don't even have a primary care physician.  The emergency room is your health care provider; a cost that significantly raises the taxpayer burden for all county residents.  There is a better way; there is a better model.  Merging our two organizations creates this model, ultimately positioning us as a powerful local resource that can be looked to as an archetype for HIV/AIDS housing across America.  Merger also eliminates competition for scarce funding dollars. 

A Rosehedge/Multifaith Works merger will allow:

• Shared Resources – Administrative overhead and program expenses can be shared jointly between agencies, eliminating redundancy, allocating more resources directly to the programs.

• A Bigger Voice for Advocacy – As the face of HIV/AIDS has changed, attention around the epidemic has faded.  This merger strengthens our collective voice, helping to ensure that HIV/AIDS does not fade into the background or exist in isolation in our community.  As one combined agency we can compete more effectively for federal housing dollars and access to resources that will allow for expansion of current services and innovation of new ones.

• Increased Capacity – With streamlined overhead costs, our combined agency will operate with stronger capacity, eventually expanding to serve more vulnerable men and women in our community.
  

• Symbiotic Relationships - Rosehedge's medical model and Multifaith Works' emotional support model combined to create a collaboration that provide the highest level care for each client.    

Our Mission Statements

Rosehedge serves vulnerable men and women living with HIV/AIDS by providing housing, compassionate health care and supportive services that enhance the quality of the residents’ lives. 

Multifaith Works unites communities of compassionate care and inclusive spirituality with people living in isolation and loneliness.

The Need

According to the King County Public Health Seattle-King monthly HIV/AIDS Epidemiology Report, in 2009, an estimated 10,532 people in Washington State were living with HIV/AIDS.  Of those, 6575 (62%) live in King County, where Rosehedge and Multifaith Works operate.  In addition, 344 new cases were reported in King County, and 599 new cases were reported in Washington State (Washington State/Seattle-King County Epidemiology Report, 2nd Half, 2009).

Thanks to the medical advancement the face of HIV/AIDS has changed.  A diagnosis does not mean death, but a new path to navigate.  People living with HIV/AIDS can live full, long lives provided they have access to healthcare, stable housing, compassionate care and support. 

There is compelling research which demonstrates the critical significance of housing as an intervention to address both public and individual health priorities, including 1) disease prevention, 2) health care access and effectiveness, and 3) cost containment.  This is especially true in the case of people living with HIV/AIDS.  Strong and consistent findings identify housing status as one of the strongest predictors of health outcomes for people living with HIV/AIDS [1].

1. People with stable housing are less likely to engage in risky behaviors [2], thereby reducing HIV transmission, and making stable housing an effective HIV prevention strategy.  Studies show that averting just one transmission per 69 clients results in a significant cost-savings for the community. [3]

2. Under the best of circumstances HIV/AIDS medication is difficult to manage.  Some patients must take as many as 30 pills per day – some with food, others on an empty stomach.  Most homeless individuals lack the stability and support to maintain the regimen, let alone the refrigeration required by some of the medications, and the nutrition required for optimal results.  (Rosehedge has proudly and consistently maintained a 99% medication adherence rate for its residents!)  People in stable housing are more likely to be on HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy) which means they have better health outcomes than those who continue to experience homelessness. [4] In order for the HAART treatment to be effective, patients must follow their medication regimen with 95% accuracy. 

3. People with HIV/AIDS in stable housing show significant reductions in emergency room visits (34%) and hospitalizations (21%) [5] which translates to significant savings for tax payers.  One night at Harborview’s Level 1 Trauma Center costs the federal government roughly $2,400.  Emergency rooms are not intended to serve as primary care physicians, but options are limited for the homeless.  By comparison, one night at a Rosehedge house costs the federal government just $127. 

A safe, decent home, nourishing food, and critical medication are basics that we all deserve, especially our friends and neighbors fighting such a devastating disease.  Add mental illness, chemical dependency, and AIDS related dementia into the mix and you have a group of people in desperate need—people who lack the ability to care for themselves or to navigate the complex social service system.

Our Response

Rosehedge and Multifaith Works empower those with HIV/AIDS to stabilize their housing and their health,  and re-establish compassionate human connections.  Stigmatized and removed from “mainstream” life, people living with a terminal illness – sometimes with the additional complication of mental illness or chemical dependancy – are often isolated, lonely, afraid and have no one to reach out to.  Through our four programs:  Enhanced Assited Living, Transformational Housing, CareTeams and Shanti, Rosehedge and MultifaithWorks deliver critical services to individuals in need. 

• The Enhanced Assisted Living Program (EALP) provides both long and short term housing in three facilities; two in North Seattle and one in Capitol Hill.  Each of our three homes is structured and staffed to ensure the highest quality of care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS.  Each home has a Home Health Aide (HHA) on duty 24 hours a day to provide assistance with dressing, bathing, and all activities of daily living.  On-site registered nurses manage medication, conduct health assessments, and coordinate medical care.  A staff social worker offers counseling and referrals for day programs, drug treatment, and other social services.  An on-site cook prepares nutritious, tasty meals and snacks in accordance with each resident’s dietary requirements and dedicated volunteers assist with transportation, maintenance, and one-on-one social interaction.

• The Transitional Housing Program provides housing for up to two years as well as connection to addiction and mental health services to homeless individuals living with HIV/AIDS.  The program also manages a respite house for individuals with AIDS who are exiting the hospital but are not yet well enough to live on their own.

• The CareTeam Program matches a team of five to ten volunteers with an individual or family affected by HIV/AIDS.  The team provides emotional support and assistance with daily activities like shopping or light household duties that may be difficult for the client to perform.

• Shanti volunteers are matched in one-on-one relationships with clients and provide nonjudgmental listening that allows the clients to explore their feelings, identify issues, and find solutions to those issues on their own.  Shanti volunteers also serve local skilled nursing facilities and seven regional correctional facilities; with specially trained volunteers visiting those incarcerated long and short term, providing non-judgmental companionship.

• In addition these four programs, there is SHIFT – A Peer Recovery Network.  SHIFT is a multi-agency collaboration that provides administrative, emotional, and supervisory support for volunteers and clients in the Seattle/King County area who are Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Queer & Questioning (LGBTQ) people struggling with drug and alcohol abuse and addiction issues.  SHIFT represents collaboration between Multifaith Works, Seattle Counseling Service, Gay City Health Project, and Dunshee House, each of which brings unique experience and services to the Network.

Investment

The merger of Rosehedge and MultifaithWorks will strengthen our collective voice, helping to ensure that HIV/AIDS does not fade into the background or exist in isolation in our community.  As one combined agency we will compete more effectively for federal housing dollars and access to resources that will allow for expansion of services where they are most needed.  Our donors will join together, increasing the number of voices advocating with and on behalf of our brothers and sisters living with HIV/AIDS.  Merged we will greatly expand and enhance our ability to serve the greater Seattle community.

In the current economy, it is more important than ever to stretch every dollar for maximum impact. A successful merger has the potential for significant savings as Rosehedge and Multifaith Works will share an executive director and a grantwriter, and will be able to take advantage of lower heath insurance premiums thanks to larger employee enrollment.  Merger means combining talents and expertise to provide a complete continuum of support to people and families living with HIV/AIDS, achieve healthier, happier, better outcomes for those in need.

For more information, please contact us at 206.324.1520

References

[2]Aidala, A. & Sumartojo, E. (2007) “Why Housing?”  AIDS & Behavior, 11(6)/Supp 2: S1-S6.

[3]Kidder & Walitski, (2007).

[4]Health and Housing Study, Center for Disease Control and HUD Housing for People with AIDS program, Baltimore, Chicago, Los Angeles, (2008).

[5] Holtgave, D., Briddell, K., Little, E., Bendixen, A., Hooper, M., Kidder, D.,Wolitski, R., Harre, D., Royal, S., Aidala, A., (2007).  “Cost and threshold analysis of housing as an HIV prevention intervention.”  AIDS and Behavior, 11(6)/Supp 2:S167-S171.