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"You don't know how much stress was lifted when I didn't have to worry about such simple things as adequate heat or a glass of water."
- "Doug," a resident in the Supportive Living Program
 Our Supportive Living Program was established in 1987 and has responded to the changing needs of the population of people with HIV. For instance, in the 1980s the Supportive Living Program provided short-term housing, not because the program was restricted, but because residents' health declined at a much faster rate than it does today. Thanks largely to newer, more effective medications, the Supportive Living Program evolved into longer-term housing with comprehensive support services. The Supportive Living Program now provides the structured programs that people emerging from homelessness and new to HIV treatment need to build whole and healthy lives.
One of the program's most important goals is to help residents learn about their HIV medications and the side effects they may produce. With supervision and encouragement from Chicago House staff, residents gain the skills and confidence they need to adhere to a medication schedule that might be demanding and complex.
The Supportive Living Program also provides on-site, ongoing psychological assessment and counseling; substance abuse assessment and recovery support, if necessary; and life skills instruction that focuses on independent management of medical care, health maintenance, personal responsibility for money and time, interpersonal relationships and the development of a helpful support network.
For more information on the Supportive Living Program, contact Jacqueline Williams at 773.248.5200.
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