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Joseph's House appeals for additional city funding to keep medical-respite and hospice beds open
Summary
Joseph's House, which provides medical respite and hospice care to unhoused people living with HIV, asked the Committee on Health for $550,000 to continue and expand services; a current city earmark noted by the chair is about $340,000 in the mayor's proposed FY26 budget.
Joseph's House told the Committee on Health on June 6 that its medical-respite and end-of-life services for people experiencing homelessness and living with HIV need additional FY26 city support to remain fully operational.
Carter Ramey, behavioral health specialist at Joseph's House, described a model that combines 24-hour medical and personal care, case management and community re-integration. "We provide safe housing and 24-hour medical and personal care," Ramey said. "We currently serve 25 unique individuals. Some are with us for end-of-life care, and others are living successfully independently in the community."
Executive testimony and client testimony highlighted that Joseph's House supports people who are too well for hospitals but too sick for shelters. Kashara Thomas, from Joseph's House leadership, told the committee that 90 percent of residents complete their scheduled treatment plans and 80 percent achieved or maintained viral suppression; staff coordinated more than 2,400 medical appointments last year.
A client, Demetrius Moody, described his own recovery at Joseph's House: "I entered Joseph's House weighing 88 pounds... Joseph's House provided me the medical, the emotional, and the mental support that I needed. Without Joseph's House, I would not be here," he told the committee.
Joseph's House requested $550,000 for FY26 to cover staff salaries, program initiatives, client resources and operations. Chair Henderson noted that the mayor's proposal appears to earmark about $340,000 to Joseph's House and said the committee will follow up with DC Health on how that figure was set.
Ending: Joseph's House submitted written testimony and asked for committee consideration of a larger allocation to match program needs; the committee will seek more detail from DC Health about the agency's FY26 proposals supporting medical-respite providers.
