As many in the LGBTQAI+ community face discriminatory policies and hateful rhetoric across the country, La Clínica stands strong and reaffirms its commitment to continue providing culturally appropriate and high quality healthcare for all.
This commitment to improving the quality of life of the diverse patients it serves means addressing gaps in care for underserved and vulnerable communities.
For many transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, barriers to better health can come in the form of lack of culturally competent providers or previous experiences in discriminatory and hostile clinic environments.
To address this, La Clínica’s Transit Village and La Clínica’s TRUCHA opened TRIUMPH in October 2017. TRIUMPH offers a gender-affirming model of care and creates a welcoming medical home for transgender communities in order to increase access to comprehensive health care services.
Since opening, TRIUMPH has welcomed more than 110 new patients who receive full-scope primary care services, as well as hormone therapy and surgery referrals. In addition, HIV prevention and care services are tailored for this patient population to address infection rates at crisis proportions, particularly among trans women of color.
Through its partnership with UCSF Center of Excellence for Transgender Health, patients can also access medical health navigators and a supportive social environment during clinic hours, as well as monthly support groups.
One patient who’s been linked to care through this clinic is Yamilet Flores-Becerra.
Two years ago, Yamilet learned about TRIUMPH through her friend and program Peer Health Educator Arianna Salinas.
Before joining TRIUMPH, Yamilet was taking hormones without medical supervision. She also didn’t have access to a medical provider who was culturally competent in transgender healthcare; in fact, she was the first trans patient at her previous medical office.
She eagerly joined TRIUMPH at Arianna’s invitation and quickly found comfort and reassurance.
“Everyone here is very friendly and attentive; they care about your wellbeing. You feel as if you are among family so you feel comforted, supported, and protected by them,” she said.
Yamilet says this clinic has provided her and other trans patients a new outlook on life.
“For many people this service is a hope for life. This is an opportunity to learn to appreciate your life and to not ruin it in a moment’s decision. I’m personally very grateful for La Clínica,” she said.
TRUCHA, La Clínica’s HIV services department, provides the navigation for all TRIUMPH related services. TRUCHA has been and continues to be committed to providing a welcoming space for the LGBTQAI+ community where anyone can safely access the services they need.
To learn more about this clinic, you can contact Lorena Martinez Hernandez, TRUCHA’s Lead Health Navigator, at 510-535-6413.
You can also contact, Tara Gonzalez, MD for TRIUMPH clinic, at 510-535-3500 or by email at tgonzalez@laclinica.org.
TRUCHA is located at 1531 Fruitvale Ave, Oakland, CA 94601. TRUCHA can be reached by phone 510-535-4211 or email trucha@laclinica.org