New clinic in South LA provides care to underserved in LGBTQ+ community

SOUTH LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- It's something many of us take for granted, but sometimes, access to health care is determined simply by where you live.

Those disparities also impact those in the LGBTQ+ community.

Now, new resources and support is making health care more equitable in South Los Angeles.

As part of LGBTQ+ History month, APLA Health is stepping up.

In South L.A., where access to medical care can be a challenge for low-income people of color, it's even more so for those in the LGBTQ+ community.

"We have patients who come here all the time who say I asked my previous provider to do "X" and "Y" for me and they weren't able to do it," said APLA Health family medicine specialist Dr. Francisca Mata. "So they end up finding us either through word of mouth or looking us up on the internet."

She said the newly-opened APLA Health Clinic in Willowbrook specializes in LGBTQ+ care and transgender wellness along with behavioral medicine and dental services.

Most patients are generally uninsured, underinsured or undocumented.

"When we offer that and we specialize in the LGBTQ+ community, we are addressing those multiple inequities," she said.

Finding resources for expensive medications, such as the HIV-prevention drug PrEP, can be a tricky task.

Ryan Hubis came all the way from Long Beach seeking help.

"When I picked up my subscription, they said everything was covered and then lo and behold, I got a call from my dad saying that our health savings account is getting $2,000 pulled out of it every month when I thought it was free!" said Hubis.

Patient navigators connected Hubis to government programs that cover most of the cost.

He said finding a clinic that addresses his specific needs was refreshing.

"I can see myself coming back here for sure," he said.

At the new clinic, one can also find a kitchen and pantry where meals are tailored to meet unique nutritional needs.

Since the 1980s, the "Necessities of Life Program" delivered 17 million meals to the needy, and from this new location, staffers were able to provide 24 meals plus snacks to people living with HIV and AIDS.

"Folks who have HIV are at increased risk for homelessness and food insecurity and so they can come here," Mata said.

Besides meals and medical care, this clinic provides something equally important: a place where clients feel secure and understood.

"With any marginalized community, you need a safe space. When you walk in here, I think it's what patients notice, initially. They feel it's safe," Mata said.