The Office of HIV/AIDS Housing is pleased to announce a new resource for Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) providers and other HIV service organizations, a white paper titled HIV Care Continuum: The Connection Between Housing and Improved Outcomes Along the HIV Care Continuum. This resource was developed to implement President Obama’s HIV Care Continuum Initiative, which seeks to mobilize and coordinate Federal efforts in response to recent advances in HIV prevention and treatment.

The HIV Care Continuum is a model that outlines the five steps of HIV care, from diagnosis to receiving optimal treatment. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that there are significant gaps along the HIV Care Continuum: almost one-fifth of the estimated 1.1 million people living with HIV in the United States are undiagnosed; one-third are not linked to medical care; almost two-thirds are not engaged in ongoing care; and only one-quarter have achieved viral suppression, which is key for maintaining good health and reducing the risk of transmitting HIV to others.

This white paper highlights key findings from research studies to demonstrate the impact that stable housing has on each step of the HIV Care Continuum. In addition, it promotes stable housing as a critical component of effective systems of HIV care and supports improved collaborations between housing and HIV care providers to better integrate care and improve health outcomes for persons living with HIV/AIDS.