A-LISTS community
FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS OF SAN DIEGO is an unsung hero in our community. Even if you haven’t used its services, you’ve probably spotted their volunteers distributing condoms and informational packets about HIV prevention, although they encompass a great deal more than only HIV service-related help.
Founded in 1970, Family Health Centers of San Diego (FHCSD) is a private, nonprofit
community clinic organization whose mission is to, “provide comprehensive, acces- sible, quality healthcare services in the San Diego region.” Services are made available to people of all income levels and FHCSD plays a critical part in granting access to them for low-income individuals. It’s a place where adults and children alike can go for afford- able medical care, including immunizations, annual check ups and even acute care. When it comes to HIV education, prevention and care, Family Health Centers’ star
definitely shines. For years, FHCSD has been an important part of providing HIV ser- vices to our community. The Ciaccio Clinic in North Park, named after local HIV/AIDS advocate John Ciaccio who passed away in 1985, provides a number of services includ- ing free HIV testing and counseling, case management, clean syringe exchange and outreach education. When first discovered in the ‘80s, HIV/AIDS devastated San Diego’s gay community, as
well as many others. A positive diagnosis of HIV back then was considered a death sen- tence—and usually a very short sentence. Making matters worse, AIDS was stigmatized as a “gay disease” and as such was considered by many people to be of little relevance. By 1987 we had lost 289 people to AIDS in the San Diego community, yet there was no investment from the city for prevention or care. After the annual Pride parade that same year, more than 3,000 participants marched on city hall to demand that the city do something about the burgeoning epidemic. It was nonprofit organizations back then like the AIDS Assistance Fund and the San Diego AIDS Project that bore the brunt of caring for the vulnerable members of our community. A fact still true today, as FHCSD is the single largest provider of HIV/AIDS health services in the entire county. Things have improved somewhat since then, with the discovery in the late 1990s of
anti-retroviral therapies and protease inhibitors. HIV positive people are living longer lives and the diagnosis is no longer terminal. Still, despite these advances, the need for
HIV services has not abated—even though the challenges we now face are different. The changing reality in the 21st century of HIV/AIDS has presented organizations like FHCSD with new difficulties. There is what is called “condom fatigue” among older members of the community and then the fear that many in the younger community don’t fully appreciate the risks and dangers of HIV. Also, there is the continuing chal- lenge of addressing the needs presented by minority communities and the cost of medicine and treatment, especially for people who are under-insured. Family Health Centers is attempting to address these challenges with a number of
new programs: The Gay Men’s Health Program (GMHP) was designed to address the needs of the men in our community. They have been the force behind the billboards and advertisements throughout San Diego, advocating that people “clear the air” with their partners. This campaign encourages men to have frank and open discussions about their HIV status with any new partner. GMHP has its own website at gaymen-
shealth.org which includes information about HIV, STDs, programs and services and much more, all targeted towards the men in our community. One of the more innovative HIV related projects at FHCSD, has been its In The Mix (ITM) program—targeting young men of color (18-24 years old). This demographic continues to have higher than average rates of HIV infection and is more seriously impacted due to substandard medical care and information. The ITM program includes HIV testing services, a drop-in space, bi-weekly mixers and other events. ITM staff can also often be seen around the community doing outreach. Perhaps one of the most innovative aspects of the ITM program is that the steering committee is comprised of the same demographic it is designed to serve, young men of color.
Family Health Centers of San Diego is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization (Tax ID 95-2833205). All dona- tions are tax deductible, as allowed by law. They accept cash, checks, money orders, and all major credit cards. For information on how you can support this organization, visit the website at
fhcsd.org.
FAMILY HEALTH CENTERS OF SAN DIEGO: A BACKBONE FOR OUR COMMUNITY by john bilow
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RAGE monthly | JULY 2011
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