During the 2001 program year, People With AIDS Coalition Houston, Inc., elected to evaluate the New Beginnings Household Restart Program, a program that provides household implements and items of daily living to people living with HIV/AIDS. The evaluation consisted of a chart review on six clients; a client satisfaction survey and quality of life measurement, completed by 75 clients at pre-test and 18 at post-test; and a focus group of nine clients. While the findings of the chart review were inconclusive due to the small number included in the study, all incidents of hospitalizations and opportunitistic infections occurred prior to the client receiving a bed through the program. Mu's Quality of Life Measurement was used to collect information on 28 domains, and in 27 of the 28 (96.4%) client responses showed an improvement between the pre and post survey. The program is well received in the community and is tailored to meet the needs of those with a very-low-income and limited access to resources.

Funded by the Ryan White Planning Council.