2018-2019 Community Impact Report
Letter from the CEO
Hello:
As a humanitarian organization that opens its doors wider each year, Desert AIDS Project (DAP) continues to innovate on behalf of the community that it has promised to serve.
In 2018 we introduced a bold plan to double clinic capacity and build additional housing. It called for purchasing the large building next to DAP, and constructing state-of-the- art clinics inside. It also called for designing more housing on the DAP campus that will add about sixty apartment homes.
And because ending HIV in the Coachella Valley is our top goal, we made STI testing and treatment affordable for everyone at our DOCK clinic. By lowering the price to just $25, we are helping stop the spread of STIs in our community. We are also getting those who test positive for HIV linked to care and support immediately.
We also started talking about our move towards a Patient- Centered model of care at DAP. Our clinicians are famous for putting clients first, and this model for delivering medical and behavioral healthcare services will ensure they always have the tools they need to provide exceptional care.
As I look back on this period, I am so thankful for DAP’s 200 employees, 400 volunteers, and myriad donors. Their passion and commitment to offer competent care to everyone who needs it in our valley is the foundation of DAP’s future.
Sincerely,
David Brinkman, CEO
Guiding Principals
Mission
The mission of Desert AIDS Project is to enhance and promote the health and well-being of our community.
Vision
The vision of Desert AIDS Project is one of a just community, where all people live healthy, purposeful lives with dignity.
Purpose
Founded on love, passion, and a commitment to save lives, Desert AIDS Project is a humanitarian organization that opens its doors wider each year. Using the road map created during the earliest years of the AIDS Crisis, Desert AIDS Project continues to be led by the communities it serves, to improve the health and well-being of the whole person.
Patient Centered Care for Our Community
At DAP, the client is at the core of everything we do. Our care teams collaborate closely and often, so that our clients receive comprehensive care that helps them greatly improve health outcomes.
We want our clients to stay engaged in their own healthcare, and we encourage them to establish long-term relationships with their care team. By empowering them to take an active role, we find that our clients continue care longer.
Each client can access comprehensive medical and behavioral healthcare, receiving individualized attention from DAP’s team of clinicians, social workers and care coordinators. Emphasis is placed on prevention and wellness, acute care, and chronic care. In addition to medical and behavioral health services for clients who qualify, housing, food and transportation linkage and assistance is also available.
We work to get to know our clients, so we can personalize their experience and facilitate their understanding of care. When necessary, we partner with medical providers throughout the Coachella Valley and beyond to coordinate care for our clients who need services DAP does not provide in-house.
We also make accessing medical care at DAP hassle free. We are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. Our telephone operators, as well as our social media team, ensure that clients get a response quickly. And by using MyChart, our patient portal, clients are never very far from their clinicians when seeking information or appointments.
Board of Directors
Steve Kaufer, Chair
Patrick Jordan, Vice Chair
Fred Drewette, Treasurer
Mark Hamilton, Board Secretary
Board Members:
Kevin Bass, Jerry Fogelson, Terri Ketover, Lauri Kibby,
Athalie LaPamuk, Bertil Lindblad, Kyle Mudd, David Perez,
Bruce Purdy, Stephen Rose, Ann Sheffer
Leadership Team
David Brinkman, CEO
Dane Koch, Director of Retail
David Morris, MD, Chief Medical Officer
Sheri Saenz, Chief People and Places Officer
Darrell L. Tucci, Chief Development Officer
Judy Stith, Chief Financial Officer
Zayda Welden, Director of Social Services
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