The Biography of HOPES
In November of 1996 a corps of individuals from the Washoe County District Health Department, the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine, community members and the three major area hospitals (St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, Renown Medical Center, and Northern Nevada Medical Center) began meeting on a concept to create a non profit organization that could effectively deliver HIV/AIDS medical care. This meeting was in response to the County Health Department’s increasing size and the increasing complexity of HIV care in their Early Intervention Clinic. An Interim Board of Directors was formed and began meeting regularly in January 1997. Northern Nevada HOPES was born through these meetings and was incorporated on April 8, 1997. A facility was secured for the Early Intervention Clinic to move with its 137 clients, and it began operating as Northern Nevada HOPES in February of 1998 with a budget of just over $900,000 with $287,000 that was granted from the Ryan White Congressional Care Act of 1990. The HOPES Clinic, located near Renown Medical Center was the center for medical, nursing and pharmacy services, provided to HIV positive individuals in northern Nevada and northern California. The caption area for our organization and its services reach for approximately 90,000 square miles. We were and are the only HIV/AIDS Medical Facility in northern Nevada.
Initially at HOPES Clinic, a multi-disciplinary team consisting of physicians, physician assistant, registered nurses and registered pharmacist (who are recognized HIV specialists) rendered HIV-related medical care. The clinic provided crisis intervention and counseling, therapeutic support groups, wellness lectures, dental and oral health care, access to clinical trials and research studies, insurance assistance and outreach services to other health care professionals.
Due to a growing number of clients and the need for improved supportive services and co-located, Northern Nevada HOPES secured an additional facility in November of 1999 a two story, 4700 square foot, Mission Revival Mansion listed on the National Historic Registry located in downtown Reno. At that time, HOPES House became the administrative offices and support services center for Northern Nevada HOPES. Our aim was to deliver quality services in a comfortable environment to all of our clients. The services that we provided at HOPES House were social services, transportation, housing & utility assistance and the supplemental food program (which included a food pantry and food vouchers). All clients who access the supplemental food program are monitored through our registered dietitian. Access to supportive services begins at Case Management with an assessment of client need. Referrals are then made to the appropriate agencies.
In the beginning of 2001, Northern Nevada HOPES was presented with an incredible opportunity to acquire a facility that would better meet the needs of our clients by centralizing the location of our administrative and support services with the clinic. The Nevada State Legislature had additional funding in its budget and they were looking at how best to distribute the extra funding. Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie rallied, along with Senator William Raggio (Chair of the Ways and Means Committee) and Assemblyman David Parks from Las Vegas to designate $500,000 to Northern Nevada HOPES to acquire a facility for expansion. It was passed by the Nevada State Legislature in June of 2001.
By early fall of 2001 Northern Nevada HOPES purchased two facilities for the purpose of expanding our patient/client services. The first building that we purchased was a two story 3,600 square foot building that was about to be demolished by the expansion of the Reno Fine Arts Museum. This building was moved adjacent to HOPES House in October of 2001. The other building that we purchased was a medical complex directly next to the HOPES House address. We immediately went into planning the renovations of each building. At that time, Hill House (given its name from the street from which it was moved) would house our Social Services Department, and three suites from the medical complex would be renovated to house the Clinic and Pharmacy. It took some time with planning, design, building, fundraising and the coordination of volunteers to prepare these facilities for occupancy. We moved the clinic to its new home in January 2003 and Hill House was ready for occupancy by the end of August of 2003.
In 2005 we began to recognize the need for additional expansion and thusly took over 5 additional suites at the medical complex that houses HOPES Clinic. It became imperative to have the clinic and social service in close proximity, not to mention that we were quickly outgrowing the Hill House facility. Hill House has now been repurposed into a resource center for clients, as well as a meeting place for support groups. The medical complex not only houses HOPES Clinic but now includes HOPES Social Service and the HOPES Food Pantry.
In calendar year 2006, Northern Nevada HOPES served 612 clients. 83% were Men and 17% were Women. Since the efficacy of drug therapies has improved over the years, our clients are living longer. Of the clients we served, the majority 53% were between the ages of 25-44 and 43% were between the ages of 45-65. In northern Nevada , we are very fortunate that we have had no new cases of pediatric HIV in the last 13 years and our HIV+ children have grown into adolescence. Moreover, we are beginning to see in, amongst our new cases, more women.
Ninety-five (95%) of Northern Nevada HOPES’ budget, which is approximately $7.3 million, comes principally from grant funding. The Ryan White Congressional CARE Act of 1990 is the primary source of income and is acquired through Parts B, C and D of said act. Additionally, grant funding comes from the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), Nevada Department of Corrections and through the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development we receive Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS (HOPWA), furthermore, we receive funding through the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Agency. The remaining eleven percent (5%) of our income is derived from revenues from the Clinic and Pharmacy, as well as from fundraising and donations.
Northern Nevada HOPES continues to be dedicated to preserving, and improving, the quality of life and dignity of those we serve by assisting them through the continuum of care. Furthermore, we are determined to garner community support to assist us in providing for the unmet needs of our clients not provided through grant funding, such as they do in larger communities like Los Angeles and San Francisco.
In 2007, Northern Nevada HOPES assisted 60 NEW HIV+ individuals to obtain medical care and services. Of the 60 new clients, 73% were Men and 27% were Women. The number of newly diagnosed HIV+ women, have increased by 10%.
THE EPIDEMIC IS FAR FROM OVER!