Chicago House Adapts Services to Meet Participant Needs During COVID-19

CHICAGO, IL – Chicago House has rapidly made changes to its services amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to keep program participants and staff safe. Beginning in mid-March 2020, Chicago House staff members transitioned case management meetings and other participant-facing support to virtual meetings and phone calls. As before the shelter-in-place order went into effect in Illinois, individuals seeking services through Chicago House can still connect with designated program staff. Additionally, those seeking services will still be directed to the appropriate contact via hotlines for service inquiries without traveling to Chicago House’s Lincoln Park office.

For many Chicago House programs, the switch to virtual services has been seamless. The Community Health Apprenticeship Program (CHAP) recently began its first virtual cohort, adapting the content of its accelerated certification program to be remotely accessible to apprentices. The Health, Outreach, Prevention, and Education (HOPE) department at Chicago House regularly conducts HIV screening and linkage to care outside of office hours or office space in order to most effectively reach individuals impacted by and vulnerable to HIV/AIDS in Chicago. In regular conversations with participants, Chicago House staff are screening for their contact with COVID-19 and, if exposed, connecting them to health and stable housing resources.

“Our program was always meant to be done in community, so we are doing the exact same work as pre-COVID-19, just including social distancing,” explained Michelle Minor, Linkage to Care Program Manager at Chicago House. “We are receiving referrals and linking individuals to care, whether that be STI treatment, coordinating pharmacy services, scheduling labs, providing transportation, or addressing any barriers to care, and providing emotional and medication support.” 

Brianna Johnson, who manages the Family Support and Independent Living residential programs at Chicago House, shared that check-ins with residents and staff occur weekly, ensuring that residents have the opportunity to voice any questions or concerns. Programming for youth residents has also transitioned to being entirely remote. Families living with Chicago House have access to educational, fitness, and recreational resources, as well as guidance on how to talk to young children about COVID-19.

For programs that serve individuals who are more likely to be unstably housed, and thus harder to contact, providing services remains difficult. “The toughest part is assisting folks who do not have [technology] that is necessary to complete telehealth appointments or reach out to us,” Minor added. “However, things are moving pretty fast and everyone is keeping our community as the priority, so folks are getting what they need quickly.” Chicago House continues to support our residents and participants through a myriad of different ways, even though their ability to access transportation, food, and health care is at risk given the COVID-19 pandemic.

To view a list of Chicago-area COVID-19 resources, including linkage to Chicago House services, visit www.chicagohouse.org/covid-19.