For Immediate Release
Jan. 11, 2008                                                              

WHITMAN-WALKER CLINIC ANNOUNCES
2008 PRIORITIES FOR FULFILLING COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER VISION

Modern Response to Modern HIV Epidemic in DC and Changing Health Needs of LGBT Community

WASHINGTON - Whitman-Walker Clinic has announced its next steps to becoming a full community health center. These changes are also a response to changing conditions in the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the DC area and in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.

“We need a modern response to the District’s modern HIV epidemic and a modern LGBT community,” said Donald Blanchon, chief executive officer for Whitman-Walker Clinic.

“The HIV/AIDS Administration’s report in November reaffirmed that HIV infections are on the rise and that DC has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS in the nation,” said Blanchon. “Anyone who read that report knows that it was an urgent call to action for the city and, specifically, the Clinic. Clearly, how we have been fighting the epidemic in this city has not been effective enough.”

“The LGBT community is vastly different today than when we opened our doors in the 1970s,” said Blanchon. “Today, LGBT people are living their lives openly, coming out younger, getting older, and raising families. Many gay and bisexual men are in their third decade of living with HIV. The community needs affirming health care from providers who are knowledgeable about the health challenges LGBT people face.”

To meet these changes, Whitman-Walker Clinic has been working to fulfill its vision as the region’s preeminent community health center for LGBT people and people living with HIV/AIDS and to ensure its financial viability.

“Today’s announced changes are the next steps to meeting those two goals,” Blanchon said.

The Clinic’s 2008 plans focus on five areas: HIV prevention, clinical, strategic, financial and operations.

HIV Prevention
In 2008, the Clinic will launch Project R.E.D. (Reach. Educate. Decrease), an HIV education and awareness campaign with edgier messaging that will specifically target high risk groups, including men who have sex with men ages 18-24; 24-35 year old African-American heterosexual women; single men who have sex with men of color; and heterosexual African-American men under the age of 40.

“It’s clear that we at Whitman-Walker and throughout the city need to redouble our efforts to prevent the spread of HIV,” said Blanchon. “Here at the Clinic, we plan a return to aggressive grassroots outreach in high-risk communities. We want to be on the right street corners with the right information addressing people who are truly at risk.”

As part of the renewed emphasis on HIV prevention, Whitman-Walker will undertake targeted marking and HIV education campaigns; increase the number of outreach workers at bars and clubs and on the streets in high-risk communities; and target the deployment of the Clinic’s mobile HIV testing units to neighborhoods with multiple risk factors, not just broad stroke characteristics.

Clinical
Whitman-Walker Clinic has hired Raymond Martins, MD, as Chief Medical Officer. Dr. Martins is a well-respected private practitioner with experience in community-based primary care, HIV/AIDS care and LGBT health issues. Dr. Martins will join the Clinic in late February.

The Clinic has also implemented a fully integrated electronic health records system, thanks to the generous support of the DC Primary Care Association. This system will increase the efficiency of our services for our clients, allowing providers across different disciplines to share complete information quickly and accurately.

“We are also expanding our services specific to the LGBT community,” said Blanchon. “This year, we will have an increased emphasis on an expanded crystal meth addiction treatment program for gay men; expanded breast cancer screenings for lesbians, bisexual women and transgender people through our Breast Health Initiative; and a full Transgender Health Clinic, devoted to the unique health care needs of the transgender community.”

The Clinic will also focus collectively on a more aggressive approach to client adherence to medical regimens. Support services, such as the pharmacy, case management and laboratory, will reinforce the need for our clients to receive primary medical care, adhere to their medication regimens, and receive specialty care when needed.

Strategic
In 2007, the Clinic received the designation of “Federally Qualified Healthcare Center (FQHC) Look-Alike,” a designation awarded to clinics that provide care to medically underserved communities and meet other stringent requirements. The Clinic has applied for and is seeking full FQHC status, which will help the Clinic maximize its revenue through increased Medicaid reimbursements.

The board of directors is also working on plans for future facility needs and redevelopment of its 14th Street properties. Of particular concern is ensuring that residents in Wards 7 and 8, the epicenter of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in DC, have convenient access to primary medical care and HIV/AIDS specialty care.

“We want to make sure that our facilities are located where we can best serve our community,” said Blanchon. “We will continue to have a presence on 14th Street, but we need to look at the needs of people east of the Anacostia River as well. Although our Max Robinson Center is already there and providing high quality services, we know that there are many more people in need of services than we have reached.”

Financial
The Clinic continues its efforts to build its financial viability while finally closing out historic financial issues.

“Accountability and integrity matter,” said Blanchon. “We need to reassure our supporters that we are good stewards of their generosity. To that end, we will close out any remaining fiscal issues from prior years with our public funders and regulators.”

The Clinic will also overhaul its financial management systems. BDO Seidman, a national professional services firm providing assurance, tax, financial advisory and consulting services to a wide range of publicly traded and privately held companies, will be brought in to manage accounting and financial management services in 2008. A greater emphasis will also be put on collecting payments from third parties, such as Medicare, Medicaid, DC Healthcare Alliance and private insurers.

Operations
The implementation of new financial management systems and electronic health records will bring about a need for staff changes, as the daily functions of some departments change.

Established in 1973, Whitman-Walker Clinic is a non-profit, community-based provider of health care and social services in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Through sites in the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia, the Clinic offers primary medical and dental care; mental health and addictions counseling and treatment; HIV education, prevention and testing; legal services; case management; and a food bank. Whitman-Walker Clinic is committed to meeting the life needs of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community and people living with HIV/AIDS.

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