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<br />70 <br /> <br />Alameda Countywide Homeless and Special Needs Housing Plan <br /> <br />HIV/AIDS in Combination with Homelessness, Mental Illness, and <br />Substance Use <br /> <br />While no single definitive data source is available, there is substantial evidence that people living <br />with HTV/AIDS also experience homelessness, mental illness, and/or substance abuse in significant <br />numbers: <br /> <br />· Homelessness. According to Dr. Dennis Culhane, a researcher who has worked extensively on <br />homelessness, aps\?roximately three percent of the adult homeless population nationally is living <br />with HIV/AIDS. Applied to the 4,460 adults homeless at a point in time in Alameda County, <br />this would yield an estimate of 134 people living with HIV / AIDS who are homeless at a point in <br />time. <br /> <br />· Mental illness. The Office of AIDS Administration reports that 637 people (about a quarter of <br />all clients) in FY 2003~2004 entered Ryan White services over the course of the year with <br />mental illness as a presenting issue, and 313 participated in Ryan White mental health therapy <br />or counseling during the year.88 Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services' mental <br />health programs do not track information related to HIV/AIDS, and use different eligibility <br />criteria than Ryan White. <br /> <br />· Su bstance use. Estimates of the extent of substance use issues among people living with <br />HIV / AIDS are limited by current data collection and by the documented tendency people have <br />to underreport this issue. Alameda County Behavioral Health Care Services' substance use <br />treatment and recovery programs do not track information related to HIV/AIDS. However, some <br />information is available from Ryan White services. Based on local and national data, a <br />conservative estimate is that 500 to 900 people living with HTV/AIDS in Alameda County have <br />substance use issues. <br /> <br />NOTE TO READER: Additional information about housing for people living with HIV/AIDS and related <br />issues can be found in the following chapters in this plan: <br /> <br />Local and National Context for Planning, Context for HIV/AIDS Housing and Services (p. 42) <br />Housing Assistance Needs of People Who Are Homeless and/or Have Special Needs (p. 71) <br /> <br />Please also see the following chapters in the Companion Materials for this plan: <br /> <br />5. Next Steps for the HIV/AIDS System <br />10. HIV/AIDS in Alameda County: Expanded Version <br />11. Consumer Focus Groups <br />13. Housing Needs and Estimated Costs <br />17. Glossary of Related Terms <br /> <br />87 Dr. Dennis Culhane, personal communication with AIDS Housing of Washington staff, October 14,2004. <br />88 Data provided to AIDS Housing of Washington by the Office of AIDS Administration, prepared December 7,2004. <br />