HOUSE OF MERCY INC

House of Mercy currently monitors the following impact indicators/outputs (all achieved 2019):
- At least 90% of ARV eligible clients show improvement in T-cell count and reduction in viral load
- At least 90% of House of Mercy clients are satisfied with the care they receive
- Maintain the highest possible quality rating from NC DHHS regulatory reviews
- Resident occupancy in both days per year (1,700) and proportion (80%)
- Cost of residential care per person per day less than or equal to $430

With the Bridge program, we are also tracking the following additional indicators:
- % increase in retention in HIV care and treatment
- % decrease of homelessness and % increase in housing among those we serve
- % increase in numbers of eligible individuals enrolled to receive benefits such as Medicaid and Social Security Disability
- Improved self-reported well-being (according to the World Health Organization's 5-scale well-being index)

Coordinated HIV care is a central element of House of Mercy's program of services. Our client-focused strategy for coordinating care includes assessing a client's need for specific health, psychological, and social services; and assisting the client to access a wide range of services that will address those needs. Components of coordinated care include resident admission and assessment, development of a care plan including long term needs, ongoing coordination of medical services, monitoring the resident's health, and discharge planning when needed.

Many residents come to House of Mercy with complex problems. Often, residents might not have a family or their family is dysfunctional. They sometimes have minor children and might need to deal with guardianship issues and the day-to-day difficulties of having one's child raised by a friend or family member.

Some residents are recovering from addictions. Occasionally, when persons have been admitted to the facility from a hospital, their overwhelming illness has masked signs of their addiction. After they receive appropriate medical attention and nutritious meals in a nurturing environment, residents may experience renewed cravings for drugs or alcohol. House of Mercy arranges professional treatment for substance abuse if the resident is willing to accept treatment.

Some residents have a mental illness that has been identified prior to admission. This requires ongoing follow-up with one of the local mental health professionals. Depending on their diagnosis, the residents may take psychotropic medications.

In addition to substance abuse and psychiatric issues, residents at House of Mercy have complex medical problems related to HIV/AIDS. Their immune systems are compromised, and they often are at significant risk to acquire opportunistic infections. Medical science has not yet discovered how to cure HIV/AIDS, but treatments are available to improve the immune system and fight opportunistic diseases. Care at House of Mercy includes aggressive therapies to treat related infections as well as therapies to fight HIV/AIDS specifically.

House of Mercy provides 24-hour nursing care, assistance obtaining medications, coordination of physician care, transportation, and coordination of ancillary services such as physical, speech, and occupational therapy.

Above all else, House of Mercy is a home where persons living with HIV/AIDS can live and grow in a supportive community. House of Mercy is committed to these values:

* All persons have the right to dignity in life and death;

* All persons have the right to safe, loving, peaceful, and comfortable surroundings;

* All persons have the right to complete, competent medical care without financial stress;

* All persons have the right to a full life until death;

* All persons have the right to have their physical needs attended by competent caregivers when they can no longer care for themselves.

House of Mercy opened in 1991, as the Sisters of Mercy's response to the ongoing AIDS crisis in the greater Charlotte area. The residential program has been fully operational since then, with this spring marking 29 years of service to the local HIV/AIDS community. The Bridge program is new to our organization, resulting from a strategic planning initiative in 2019. It is being created in response to the ongoing and substantial needs of those living with HIV in the greater Charlotte area, and benefits from the long history and excellent reputation of House of Mercy as a quality care provider for this community. The residential facility has consistently earned a 4-star (highest) rating for Family Care Homes from the NC Dept. of Health and Humans Services and meets Better Business Bureau standards for charitable accountability.

House of Mercy works closely with many other providers in the community and receives a steady flow of referrals from area hospitals, infectious disease specialists, and social service agencies. House of Mercy collaborates with regional hospitals, HIV/AIDS service agencies, and other human service organizations to better meet the needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS. Hospitals are a major source of referrals because they recognize the cost-effectiveness of House of Mercy.

Fundraising is an ongoing process and our Board of Directors maintains financial reserves to care for our residents in the event of an unexpected financial downturn.

We have met our stated objectives and have provided a home and compassionate care for more than 340 persons living with HIV/AIDS and provided peace of mind for their loved ones.

With the advent of antiretroviral HIV/AIDS medications, more of our residents have improved and some have been discharged to independent living and returned to employment and family life.

In recent years, our Board designated funds to make available up to 1/3 of beds for 100% charity care residents (residents with no payor source such as Medicaid or Social Security). As a result, we have the capacity to serve immigrants and have, over time, invested in technology to facilitate communication with non-English-speaking residents.

Sustaining operational excellence at House of Mercy is an ongoing process. However, we have been successful in meeting our goals with the generous support of our community, and this has resulted in the expansion, in the last year, of our programs into the surrounding community with the new Bridge Program. This expansion will allow us to significantly expand our impact for the benefit of those we serve.