A Clinic for Us (C4U) is a part of a new collaboration between the Black AIDS Institute and St. Johns Well Child and Family Center to expand and enhance affordable health care to Black communities in Los Angeles County. The partnership launched the first Black HIV/AIDS prevention clinic, the West Lake neighborhood on February. A new Black Gay Men’s drop-in center in Compton is scheduled to open in September.
To launch the new facility, located at 4251 Crenshaw Blvd. (Crenshaw north of Vernon), BAI and SJWCFC, in partnership with Paramount Studios and Car Pros Kia of Carson, will sponsor a community health fair, press conference, ribbon cutting, and open house from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm on Friday, April 20, 2018. Members of the press and community are invited to join us and community partners in celebrating this amazing achievement and additional health resource in this community.
Entertainment, free food, free giveaways, including free entry into a drawing for a new Kia Optima from Car Pros Kia of Carson, free round-trip ticket to New York City, and free T-shirts to the first 50 attendees will be provided. In addition, free health screenings, and a chance to be the first clients to make an appointment at the new clinic will be offered. A number of elected officials and surprise celebrity guests are expected to attend.
“There are a number of remarkable healthcare organizations doing amazing work in Leimert Park and we work with many of them,” said, Phill Wilson, president and CEO of the Black AIDS Institute. 64% of recently diagnosed HIV/AIDS cases in Leimert Park and surrounding areas have been Black. According to AIDSVu, 1,377 out of every 100,000 Black Angelinos was living with HIV, compared to 591 out of every 100,000 White Angelinos.
“These numbers speak to the need for additional resources and services within Black communities, particularly communities in south Los Angeles,” said Wilson. “Clearly, health disparities between Black and other racial ethnic groups in this county continue to exist and there are still enormous unmet needs in this community. It is our hope that A Clinic for Us will help mitigate those issues and extend much needed free or low-cost prevention and treatment services to those most in need in this community.”
Over 98% of the population in South Los Angeles is a racial/ethnic minority. Almost 70% of the families in these communities are under/uninsured, and most residents endure disparities relating to access/use/outcomes of health care compared to other areas of Los Angeles County.
BAI’s motto is “Our People, Our Problem, Our Solution.” The Black AIDS Institute has remained committed to ending the HIV epidemic and addressing the social determinants of health, and structural and systemic barriers that contribute to undermining the overall wellness of Black communities.
St. John’s Well Child and Family Center is one of the largest Federally Qualified Health Centers in the state of California. St. John’s was founded in response to the Watts Uprising of 1965, due to the mistreatment and discrimination imposed upon the Black population of Los Angeles. St. John’s maintains its commitment to community causes today.
“A Clinic for Us is a space for health and wellness in the heart of Los Angeles’ Black communities, and we are excited about the opportunity to increase access to primary care and specialty services for Black men and families in the area,” said Jim Manga, president and CEO of SJWCFC. With over 74 years of combined services in these communities, we feel the time is right for this kind of clinic and with all humility we feel this partnership is best positioned to provide it.”
For more information or to RSVP for this event, members of the press should contact Lestian McNeal at [email protected].
