Ursuline Piazza directly addresses gaps in service for the HIV-positive community, targeting vulnerable populations living with HIV/AIDS, such as indigent individuals, the mentally ill, and those struggling with substance abuse, as well as their families/caregivers and health care providers. Ursuline Piazza is not in competition with other HIV service organizations, but rather serves as an extra safety net to help keep individuals linked to care.

In 1991, St. Augustine Manor opened a special unit for HIV-positive patients. It primarily served as a hospice program because many people died. As medications improved, HIV was no longer a death sentence. Since 2007, the Ursuline Sisters of Cleveland has partnered with St. Augustine Manor to assist these patients in their transition back into the community. These patients needed assistance in navigating doctor appointments, finding new housing, and understanding the social services system. Ursuline Piazza services have now expanded to include individuals from throughout the Greater Cleveland community, serving HIV-positive adults from Cuyahoga County who are low-income (at or below the federal poverty level), chemically dependent, minority, from emerging sub-populations, and suffering from mental health issues.