POZ Community Forums
Meds, Mind, Body & Benefits => Insurance, Benefits Programs & HIV => Topic started by: oksikoko on January 31, 2013, 09:25:02 am
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Hey, kids.
I have some information, but I'd like to add to it. Does anyone have knowledge about or experience with NYC shelters, in particular, which are better or worse to try for a single gay male, HIV+. First-hand info will be particularly appreciated.
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I know a few kids who use HOFSA (sp?) in order to deal with housing issues. They'll find a place for you to stay if you qualify and help to pay for your rent and find you a permanent apartment. I'd look into it if i were you.
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It's called HASA (HIV/AIDS Services Administration). ;) But I'm not eligible. Thanks, though. :)
"To establish eligibility, an applicant must have been diagnosed, at any time, with clinical symptomatic HIV illness as defined by the New York State AIDS Institute or with AIDS as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."
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Hmmm there might be some way of getting around this? Two of the guys I know using HASA have high CD4 counts and are not even on meds. Do you have a social worker?
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Thanks for your reply. I'm not being a help-seeking complainer - if I could get into HASA, I would. ;) It's just not an option.
Your friends may have at one time had a certain diagnosis that got them into HASA, then their condition approved. HASA doesn't require you to stay sick. You just have to have had one from a list of diagnoses. Even if I have had one, you have to have had it documented by the right person in the right agency.
Yes, I have a case worker. They know I have a housing issue. They can't help. I also talked to someone at GMHC since I was there for other reasons. They're great, but since I'm not in HASA, all they can do is refer me. I've been to Partnership for the Homeless. They're also great, but they can't help unless I'm willing to squat in the location I have now, and I just can't do that to the other person who lives here. It's not his fault that I'm in this situation, and I'd rather deal with the consequences myself than get him thrown out.
So, I have a list of shelter options, but people here always seem to have good info on things to avoid and things to do. I thought I might save myself some trouble by crowdsourcing it. ;)
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Hmmmm, yeah sorry I couldn't be of more help and more sorry that you're in this situation to begin with! Hope you figure everything out. :(
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Yeah, it'll be fine. Thanks, and don't feel bad. ;) I appreciate that you took time to answer at all.
By the way, I'm looking at your signature file. It looks like we have similar numbers. I was diagnosed on 11/20, higher VL, but higher CD4. The nonprofit I worked for shut down on 12/21. Nothing happened until the first week of January - every office I needed was closed, but I was everywhere that first of 2013. My unemployment insurance kicked in a couple of weeks ago (yay!) and I finally got clearance for ADAP last week (double yay!). I need to move, but I can't afford first/last/deposit, at a new place, so I'll need to do what I can (weekly rentals, shelters) until I can save that up. Realistically, this is going to take a couple of months (my UI payments are welcome but low and NYC rents are high), but you reap what you sow, and the other Reaper has come for his due. ;)
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Yeah I actually lost my job in early december but dont even qualify for unemployment. Luckily I have a nice (rich) family willing to help me and cheap rent. I've also been picking up gigs doing cater waitering stuff. I'm currently an apprentice pilates instructor which pays next to nothing, so until i finish all these hours im pretty broke as well, though fortunately not in the homeless category. where are you going for all your care? i've found mt. sinai to be really great and helpful. they set up my ADAP, and hooked me up with a great social worker, doctor, psychiatrist and a support group for newly diagnosed gay guys in their 20's.
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I went to Mt. Sinai too. They submitted the ADAP papers, but won't help with anything else. They wouldn't even refer me. I go to GMHC for mental health services, but I went on my own.
I think it's because I had insurance when I was diagnosed, but needed ADAP right after and that messed up their files or something. Or they just don't like me. I have no idea. I don't really talk to them anymore.
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Have you looked into going to the Center for Comprehensive Care (http://centerforcare.org/)? They do everything there -- HIV care, dental, mental, case workers, etc. even on-site pharmacy.
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Weird! They've been so great with me. Everyone there has been super nice and helpful. I was actually referred there by the GMHC, which is where i got my western blot. Hmmm i guess it really is a different journey for everyone!
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Thanks, Miss Philicia! I'll look into Comprehensive Care. Not for this, it's too immediate. But I'll have time on my hands with nowhere to go next week. ;) I've actually been looking for some way to see a dentist.
texaninnyc87, it sounds like you have enough on your own plate. My advice: always put more back than you think you can. Even if it's $5 extra dollars a week.
Mt. Sinai: Yeah, I didn't understand it either. I can be a dick as much as the next guy (well, more), but I've been as nice as possible since I'm basically begging everywhere I go. I'm getting charity fatigue, but they were the first people I saw, so I was fresh. ;) I hate going there, so I don't. They always tell me to wait, wait, and I don't have anymore time to wait. I told them the situation on 11/20/2012. It's almost February. The doctor I'm supposed to see is there too, but he's on the other side. He saw me when I had insurance and agreed to see me under this new paradigm.
I'm sure that it was something I did or said wrong that screwed up Mt. Sinai's interest or ability to work with me, but I'll need to focus on that after next week. Right now, I want to improve my shelter list while I'm still in a location I've paid for. ;) In other words, I'd like to focus on my salad now. Hehe...
I seem to have hijacked my own thread, haha. The topic here is HIV-positive/LGBT-friendly shelters. :)
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Follow-up: I made some more calls, and it sounds like it doesn't matter and that one is as good as the other. But you have to go through intake anyway, so I guess if I tell them, they wouldn't send me someplace known to be bad for people like me.
Thanks, everyone. :)