By SDCN Editor
Escondido, CA–Fraternity House, Incorporated, San Diego County’s only nonprofit provider of licensed Residential Care Facilities for the Chronically-Ill and Semi-Independent Living Apartments, will retire one of their homes at the close of this fiscal year.
The agency will pivot funding and residents to their Vista home, Michaelle House, and expand their Semi-Independent Apartment (SIL) program, increasing their capacity to 42 beds.
While the need for end-of-life care for individuals living with HIV has lessened, 24-hour care is still an important part of San Diego County’s continuum of HIV care. Fraternity House will continue to meet that need at their 12-bed facility, Michaelle House, located in Vista. At the same time, they can increase their efforts as providers of stable, non-facility, affordable housing with wrap-around case management, the agency stated in a news release.
“Fraternity House, Inc. has seen 36 years of medical and scientific advancements in HIV healthcare and management. In the last 10 years, we have seen the majority of those coming into our care without access to consistent healthcare, medication, housing, or consistent meals,” said Executive Director Danni Hickey. “Once these basic needs are met, they can rebuild their health and begin to set goals for their future. We then help them to move forward to our SIL apartments to pursue higher education, job readiness training, and more independent living accommodations where they cook for themselves, manage their own medications, and rebuild community connections.”
Hickey says the needs of those living with HIV and AIDS evolve, with only about 30% needing long-term 24-hour and end-of-life care.
As the agency’s current 10-year lease with the County comes to an end, the staff and board evaluated programs and considered renewal. After many internal and external discussions, the strategic decision to retire one facility home and direct resources to the Semi-Independent Living Program was voted on at the April 2024 regular meeting of the Board of Directors.
“We are so grateful to the County of San Diego and the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program for working closely with FHI as we made this decision. We could not have pivoted to increased beds and greater independence for those we serve without their support,” said Hickey.
Both nationally and locally, surveys of individuals living with HIV continue to show that affordable housing and case management services are primary needs. San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency was one of the first communities in the nation to address the reality that stable housing is intricately linked to health and wellness.
In 1993 the County of San Diego first leased FHI the home in Elfin Forest, Fraternity House. In 1997, FHI opened Michaelle House to care for even more people. It was named in honor of Michaelle Liddell, a fearsome HIV/AIDS activist, and an early supporter of their work. In 2019, FHI realized its dream of having a Semi-Independent Living Apartment program. The program began with two apartments, providing four residents the opportunity to graduate from 24-hour care, and proof that HIV is not the grim diagnosis it once was. Today, FHI’s programs thrive, with 20 residential care facility beds for anyone with higher care needs, and 16 beds in the Semi-Independent Living Apartments. Upon completion of this strategic pivot, FHI will have 12 facility beds and 30 beds in the apartment program.
In a show of support for the growth of Fraternity House Inc.’s programs, the Board of Directors’s past president, Patrick Anderson has provided a gift of $100,000 to support the agency’s programs and foster opportunities to plan for Fraternity House, Inc.’s future. The gift was made in memory of Patrick’s late husband Lester Olson, who was a tireless supporter and friend to the agency.
Fraternity House’s mission is to provide warm and caring homes to vulnerable individuals living with HIV/AIDS so that they may rebuild their health and return to independent living; or where they can spend their last days in comfort and dignity. Since 1988, Fraternity House, Inc. has been serving the most vulnerable living with HIV/AIDS. Rent is charged on a sliding scale, capped at 30%, and those with no income pay $0.
To learn more or make a donation, visit www.fraternityhouse-inc.org.
