Project Lazarus

Programs: The primary purpose of project lazarus is to help heal, empower and provide continuity of care in a homelike environment. The highest goal of project lazarus is to enhance the quality of life for those it serves. Project lazarus has two different housing programs: transitional and supervised independent housing. The focus and goal of our transitional program is to provide temporary housing and services to individuals to ensure access to health care, increase medication education and adherence, promote a healthy diet and lifestyle, connect with community resources and access available benefits allowing further medical stabilization and the opportunity to secure permanent housing. The goal of service provision in the independent living program is to promote empowerment and skill building in an independent living environment. The two major supportive services of project lazarus include but are not limited to wellness and substance abuse services. Project lazarus has a wellness program that is designed to address the emotional and mental health, and lifestyle changes that occur for all people and specific challenges faced by people living with hiv/aids. The wellness group has implemented elements of the positive self management program which focuses on the following: (1)medication regimens, (2)techniques to deal with problems to deal with ongoing stressors and other emotional issues,(3) understanding the need for exercise and endurance (4)communication effectively with family, friends and health care professionals (5)nutrition (6)understanding and evaluating of hiv symptoms (7)advance directives (8)and utilizing alternative treatments. Additionally, project lazarus has an in house substance abuse program that is guided by a philosophy of harm reduction. The substance abuse counselor delivers psychosocial interventions, motivational enhancement techniques, coping skills training, relapse prevention planning, 12-step perspectives, and when needed, treatment for co-occurring disorders such as depression and anxiety. The number of residents served from july 1, 2016 to june 30, 2017 was 58 residents.