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Dustin Gruber Posts

DAP Health rolls out harm reduction prog …

by Dustin Gruber

DAP Health rolls out harm reduction program to provide care for people living with addiction 

Contact: Leighton Ginn                                  
Public Relations Specialist  
(760) 567-2983  

[email protected].    

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE   

Program approved Jan. 10, 2022 by the California Department of Public Health 

This Spring, DAP Health will unveil its harm reduction program that will have two components. First, Overdose prevention and secondly a Syringe Services Program (SSP) that will include health services and behavioral health support to combat the rise in preventable overdoses and the increase in new HIV cases.  

The multi-layered program will focus on education for the community, HIV and Hepatitis C testing, distribution and collection of syringes and referrals to support folks through their addiction journey.  

Additional services to be provided: Naloxone/Narcan to reverse overdose and prevent death, and Fentanyl test strips for testing drugs before use to decrease likelihood of overdose.  

In the latest preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 100,000 people in the U.S. died from overdoses during the 12-month period from April 2020 through April 2021. (https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm) 

In Riverside County, there has been an 800 percent increase in fentanyl-related deaths since 2016, according to Rivco.org.  (https://www.rivco.org/news/riverside-county-committee-combat-fentanyl-abuse).  

Palm Springs has an overdose death rate 300 percent higher than the state average.  

Palm Springs Police Department Chief Andy Mills was able to review the harm reduction program and was impressed with how complete it is.  

“It’s important to remember the dynamics that go into a program like this,” Mills says. “That’s what excites me. Not only is DAP Health looking at helping people, but genuinely helping people so they are not destructive to themselves or our community.” 

DAP Health is only the second state certified Syringe Services Program (SSP) in Riverside County, which is the 10th most populated county in the United States.  

Because of the rising numbers, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Xavier Bacerra says the federal government supports harm reduction, which includes direct support and care to people who actively struggle with substance misuse.  

“DAP Health will begin deepening our relationship with people living with addiction by adding a harm reduction approach to our first-aid kit of solutions,” says C.J. Tobe, the Director of Community Health and Sexual Wellness. “We will do this without stigma or judgment because you cannot treat someone who does not trust you. Harm reduction is an important tactic in DAP Health’s ongoing work to end the HIV epidemic.  Work that begins with meeting folks where they are.” 

Education  

  • Overdose prevention  
  • Safer injecting  
  • Risk reduction counseling  
  • Education to community partners  

Testing  

  • Free HIV/HCV testing  
  • Fentanyl strips for testing drugs before use to decrease likelihood of overdose  

Equipment  

  • Naloxone/Narcan to reverse overdose and prevent death  
  • Phone number and email to DAP Health for the community to report used syringes that need to be picked up and disposed of, or to request education related to harm reduction strategies at [email protected] or 760 992-0453. 
  • New syringes and intake/dispose of used syringes  
  • New injecting supplies  
  • Safer sex kits  
  • Safer smoking kits   

Referrals To 

  • Substance use counselors  
  • Outpatient Drug Free program DAP Health 
  • Local recovery and treatment centers  
  • DAP Health’s peer support specialist  
  • Early Intervention Specialist (EIS) for anyone with HIV and/or Hepatitis C for treatment  
  • Insurance enrollment and connection to health care and other social support services  
  • DAP Health’s Sexual Wellness Clinic (Orange Clinic) for STI testing and/or Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)  
  • Food and housing    
Harm Reduction Media Resources

 

About DAP Health 

DAP Health is an advocacy-based health center in Palm Springs, Calif., serving more than 10,000 patients, offering medical and mental health care, STI testing and treatment, dentistry, pharmacy, and lab services. A variety of wraparound services enable patients to experience optimal health, including social services, support groups, alternative therapies, and other wellness services. Excellent HIV care is provided by the largest team of specialized clinicians in the area.     

DAP Health opened one of California’s first COVID clinics and hotlines to offer screening, testing, and treatment. DAP Health also is working to address the social determinants of health that are causing negative health outcomes during this pandemic, like food and housing insecurity, joblessness, isolation, and access to ongoing healthcare. 

DAP Health’s sexual health clinic offers STI testing and treatment, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) testing. DAP Health has earned Charity Navigator’s highest rating for the twelfth consecutive year — landing DAP in the top 6% of nonprofits rated. The distinction recognizes that DAP Health exceeds industry standards in terms of financial health, accountability, and transparency.     

Visit www.daphealth.org to learn more.  

Make a New Year’s Resolution: Choose w …

by Dustin Gruber

Make a New Year’s Resolution: Choose words that matter when you want to make a positive impact

Resolutions do not have to expire shortly after the new year. For yours, we hope you will make person-first language your pledge throughout 2022.  

Person-first language helps someone know that you see them as much more than their condition or diagnosis. As 2022 brings more uncertainty, keeping each other close and cared for may become more challenging. DAP Health has been doing this since 1984 with unending curiosity, and by consulting with the people we serve. 

Choosing different words might seem trivial to you. But you have the power to help someone who has suffered from stigma feel welcome for the first time. We take person-first language seriously because we have witnessed our patients and clients experiencing dramatically better health outcomes, after facing fear and shame in other medical and behavioral health settings.  

After trying to survive in a world of stigma, a person can heal from fear once they enter culturally competent care. They feel less like an outsider. Suddenly, they start dreaming about their own future. And with care and resources from DAP Health, living a fuller life often becomes a reality.  

Change can start with you. Below are the areas of health care urgently needing people-first language. We also added links for you to find out more.  

Addiction 

Instead of addict or user, consider saying they have a substance use disorder (SUD). Using person-first language shows that SUD is an illness. Find out more at https://www.drugabuse.gov/drug-topics/addiction-science/words-matter-preferred-language-talking-about-addiction 

For DAP Health’s Outpatient Drug Free (ODF) program, contact our Behavioral Health Patient Services Representative at 760-323-2118. 

HIV Health 

Instead of saying HIV patient, consider saying “person living with HIV” or PLWHIV. 

The Undetectable Equals Untransmitable (U=U) movement is undoing decades of stigma that was built on a mistruth. With proper antiretroviral therapy (ART), PLWHIV cannot sexually transmit the virus to others. Find out more at preventionaccess.org. 

For HIV care at DAP Health, visit daphealth.org or call 760-323-2118. 

Gender Affirming Care 

Introducing yourself with your pronouns means you are starting the conversation with respect.  

If you say, “Hi, I’m David. My pronouns are he, him, his.” This shows that you are comfortable with your own identity and that you understand that gender identity is up to each person to name themselves. It also makes the other person feel safe to share theirs if they choose to.  

A substantial number of transgender and gender diverse people avoid health care because of stigma. When someone does not acknowledge their gender identity, it is as a form of discrimination. 

To find out more about Gender Affirming Care, visit daphealth.org or call 760-323-2118. 

Mental Health 

Instead of saying someone has a mental or emotional health challenge, consider just referring to them by their name. Always ask how they want to identify.  

For more about person-first language and behavioral health, visit https://www.mhanational.org/person-centered-language 

To find out about therapy at DAP Health, contact our Patient Services Representative at 760-323-2118. 

Sexual Wellness 

Instead of promiscuous, consider saying multiple partners.  

Instead of unprotected sex, consider using condomless sex or condomless sex with (or without) PrEP, or condomless sex with treatment-as-prevention. 

Instead of prostitution, consider sex worker or transactional sex. 

Sexual expression is a normal part of the human experience, but it is one of the most stigmatized areas of health care. Fear, anger, and shame keep many from STI and HIV testing but modifying how we talk about it can help us bring down California’s rising epidemics.  

To find out about free sexual wellness services and more about overcoming sexual stigma, visit https://www.daphealth.org/hiv-sti-care/sexual-health-clinic/ or call (760) 323-2118.  

Experiencing Homelessness  

Instead of homeless person, consider saying person experiencing homelessness.  

DAP Health understands that people experience being unhoused, but that it does not define them. Our Community Health team goes to where people need services, wherever that is. Find out more about our mobile services and outreach by calling 760-323-2118 or visiting daphealth.org. 

Find out more at https://www.usich.gov/news/people-experience-homelessness-they-arent-defined-by-it/ 

Five DAP Health clinicians recognized by …

by Dustin Gruber

Five DAP Health clinicians recognized by the American Academy of HIV Medicine

There are numerous names that Dan Ebeling must scroll through in his role as the Director of Credentialing and Technology for the American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM), he says one organization pops up often -- DAP Health.  

AAHIVM is a Washington D.C.-based agency and the nation’s leading independent organization of health care professionals dedicated to providing excellence in HIV care and prevention.  

This year, Ebeling credentialed 1,500 professionals. While he doesn’t know DAP Health on a personal level or the individuals who apply or renew their credentials specifically, he can surmise the level of commitment DAP Health exhibits.  

“They are committed to those high standards,” Ebeling said from his office in Washington D.C. “When an organization takes that extra step and says, ‘We’re going to help and support all of the people who work for us to earn this credential, it says something strong about that organization -- the organization is making a commitment to the highest standards of care.”  

This year, five DAP Health clinicians earned or renewed their credentials – Dr. David Morris (Chief Medical Officer), Dr. Tulika Singh MD (Director of Research, Associate Chief Medical Officer), Anthony Velasco (Senior Nurse Practitioner Specialist), Felipe Saavedra MD (Primary Care Physician) and Trent Broadus (Nurse Practitioner). 

“It’s not an easy process. It requires a lot of specialized knowledge in HIV care,” Ebeling says. “Going through the process  can be very rewarding.”  

The credentials are the first and only one of its kind offered domestically and internationally to physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and pharmacists specializing in advanced-level HIV care.  

In 2019, DAP Health, then known as Desert AIDS Project, distinguished itself as an organization when it won the Peter M. Fox Excellence in AAHIVM Credentialing Award, which recognizes organizations where all eligible practitioners  hold a credential. 

Being credentialed through AAHIVM helps ensure that medical professionals are up to date with new practices to provide optimal care.  

“It’s the gold standard. It’s what we want, it’s what we expect, and it’s what we do. It says that we reach for the top shelf,’ Dr. Morris says. “We expect our clinicians to be certified by the American Academy of HIV Medicine, and we proudly maintain that certification.”  

New DAP Health Sexual Wellness clinic op …

by Dustin Gruber

DAP Health expands Sexual Wellness in Indio, CA opening new clinic opening June 2022 and MISTR partnership expand the reach of health care services  

DAP Health made two significant moves to expand free testing and treatment to the East Valley by signing a lease to a new facility in Indio and partnering with MISTR to provide virtual PrEP services statewide.  

On Nov. 29, DAP Health signed a lease for a building in Indio to open a sexual wellness clinic.  The organization hopes to open the new space by June 2022.  

Free services will include STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections) testing and treatment (gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis), HIV prevention (pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP; post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP), and HIV and hepatitis C testing.  

If anyone tests positive for HIV, the sexual wellness clinic DAP Health will provide that person with rapid start medication and linkage to care, an essential step in reducing new HIV infections and improving the health outcomes of the person living with HIV. While the cost of ongoing HIV treatment is not part of the free services, DAP Health offers financial assistance.  

In 2019, 25% of all HIV-positive test results at DAP Health were Hispanic men. “Many folks were driving from the East Valley to Palm Springs to utilize DAP Health’s sexual wellness services. We noticed not only a high volume of patients but most of those patients were already having symptoms of an STI or testing positive for HIV,” says C.J. Tobe, the Director of Community Health and Sexual Wellness at DAP Health. Tobe believes free testing and treatment, with the convenience of not having to drive a great distance, will encourage more people to get tested.   

DAP Health is changing the system to meet the person. Since eliminating the cost barriers in its Orange Clinic that houses its sexual wellness services in July 2021, DAP Health has seen ongoing STI increases while HIV has remained the same, according to Tobe.   

DAP Health knew access to these services would be vital while social activities increased.    

In the first four months:    

  • The Orange Clinic saw over 2,000 patients.   
  • On average, DAP Health is seeing 170 more patients per month than when patients were being charged for services.    
  • The clinic started the same number of people on PrEP during the four months than they did in the prior 12 months.    
  • There were over 50 appointments for rapid start to ensure people newly diagnosed with HIV, or returning to care, have access to HIV medications within 7 days.    

“We are proactively protecting the community’s health,” Tobe said. “Eliminating the cost barrier has proven to increase access to folks in our community for PrEP and STI services.”   

“One of those barriers is cost. DAP Health learned many people testing positive for STIs and HIV had limited incomes. For them, the prior $25 fee for STI testing and PrEP was an impediment to care. DAP Health decided to remove that cost barrier to improve health equity.”  

In addition to the new Indio site, DAP Health now offers PrEP services virtually through MISTR, a discrete online service that provides access to PrEP, the once-daily pill regimen that prevents HIV. With its secure online platform, MISTR can determine if an individual is a candidate for PrEP and makes PrEP completely free. Moreover, MISTR manages all paperwork and back and forth with insurance companies and the various patient assistance programs, creating a seamless experience for the end-user.   

With the new clinic and the partnership with MISTR, DAP Health looks to make its services available to more people.  

DAP Health continues to make sexual wellness a priority by providing more people with more access to health services. It also continues to expand its ability to treat more people.   

"We welcome all people, period. And now we are eliminating more barriers to access sexual wellness services," Tobe said. “We are changing the system to meet the person. We continue to do this; First by eliminating the cost barrier and now opening a free sexual wellness clinic to people most impacted by HIV/STIs. That is health equity.”  

For more information, visit https://mistr.com/dap/ or https://mistr.com/dap-sistr/  

Outpatient Drug Free (ODF) treatment pro …

by Dustin Gruber

DAP Health’s Outpatient Drug Free (ODF) treatment program offers an alternative for individuals struggling with substance abuse.

The concept of going to stay at a rehab facility to treat a drug or alcohol addiction is something that we've all heard about. But another option is outpatient rehab where you visit a facility for recovery help, but don't stay overnight. Outpatient treatment is actually a very common option that allows individuals struggling with substance abuse to receive structured care while continuing to work and maintain their social connections.

At DAP Health, we aim to improve the quality of life for our patients by providing effective outpatient drug-free (ODF) substance use disorder treatment services integrated into our Behavioral Health Clinic. The goal is to help you reduce or eliminate alcohol and/or other drug use, address associated physical and/or mental health problems, and restore participants to maximum functional ability. "Our services are designed to treat the individual who meets the diagnostic criteria for Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and presents with the ability to participate in low intensity, outpatient treatment," says Dr. Jill Gover, DAP Health's Director of Behavioral Health.

The average participant in the ODF program, which last for 16 weeks, has 6.5 hours of treatment each week. That includes 1 hour of individual therapy; 1.5 hours, twice a week of ODF group therapy; 1.5 hours with a support group; and 1 hour at a 12-step meeting. The ODF program includes evidence-based curricula; the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) screening tools; measured progress of treatment outcomes; and referral resources.

All participants in the ODF program receive a client handbook with handouts that will help them get the most out of their treatment. Some handouts ask questions and have spaces for answers, while others ask you to read and think about a subject or an idea, and contain advice or reminders about recovery.

During each group treatment session, the counselor gives clients time to think about their responses and then the group discusses the handout. Everyone is encouraged to share their thoughts and ask questions. "The more participation you have in group therapy, the more benefit you will receive from it," says Dr. Gover. "Part of the work is reading, completing, and reflecting on the handouts."

To fully benefit from group therapy, Dr. Gover also advises that, among other things, participants attend every group session; listen carefully and respectfully to the facilitator and the other participants and be supportive; maintain confidentiality and don't share other clients’ personal information outside the group so that everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and experiences; and complete the homework assignments.

But all of these specifics aside, remember that taking that first step and joining our ODF program is the most important one. As the introduction to our handbook says, "Congratulations! You have taken the first step towards your recovery. You should be very proud of your decision to enter treatment and your commitment to recovery."

To sign up for the ODF program, contact our Behavioral Health Patient Services Representative, at 760-323-2118, who will make an appointment for you with our intake coordinator. Once a comprehensive assessment intake has been completed, if appropriate, you will referred to the ODF group as part of their treatment plan.   

The 10 Best Movies on HIV/AIDS

by Dustin Gruber

The 10 Best Movies on HIV/AIDS  

The compilers of "Top 10" lists, "Best of the Year," etc. can try to take the high road and explain that their choices are based on a variety of extremely rational-sounding criteria. But let's face it, creating a Top 10 list is a highly subjective endeavor. A roundup of the best films in any genre can be held up as a prime example. Just think about movie reviews. How many times have you read a glowing appreciation of a film by one critic, only to find another reviewer has a slightly less effusive opinion? 

Despite these hurdles, we're presenting our list of the Top 10 movies about HIV and AIDS. While some of these films were released years ago, their impact has not diminished. They serve as a measure of how far we've come in the battle against this virus. But they also remind us there's still work to be done to end the epidemic. 

Since 1984, residents of the Coachella Valley have been coming together as a community in action caring for those living with and now aging well with HIV. DAP Health is proud to be an integral part of that effort and is committed to the greater good and the diversity of more than 10,000 people calling DAP Health their health care home. 

Now, sit back and enjoy our list. It's not perfect, and people will certainly suggest some of the movies we considered, such as Longtime Companion, Rent, and Mapplethorpe, should be moved up from also-ran to the Top 10. So let the debate begin. Remember, nobody's right and nobody's wrong. It's all subjective. 

Dallas Buyers Club, 2013: The real-life story of Texan Ron Woodroff, who was diagnosed with AIDS in the mid-'80s when treatment options were limited. Desperate for help, Woodroof formed the Dallas Buyers Club to smuggle non-approved medications for his use and to distribute them—for a monthly membership fee—to others. Matthew McConaughey (as Woodroff) and Jared Leto won Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor Academy Awards, respectively, for their roles. 

Philadelphia, 1993: One of the first mainstream Hollywood films to confront HIV and AIDS. Tom Hanks won a Best Actor Academy Award for his portrayal of a lawyer who sues his law firm after he realizes he's been dismissed because of his sexual orientation and AIDS diagnosis. 

Boys on the Side, 1995: This comedic drama follows three very different women as they set out on a cross-country road trip. Whoopi Goldberg, a musician who's recently broken up with her girlfriend; Drew Barrymore, who is trying to escape an abusive relationship; and Mary-Louise Parker, as a real estate agent who initially hides her HIV-positive status.  

Common Threads—Stories from the Quilt, 1989: This powerful documentary uses a combination of photo montages, interviews with friends and family members, home movies, and news footage to tell the story of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt. 

Paris is Burning, 1990: In a cultural collision, this documentary focusing on the ball culture in New York City was released just six months after Madonna brought international attention to "voguing." The film explores the AIDS challenges and racism, transphobia, and homophobia primarily faced by the African-American and Latino communities who were at the heart of drag ball's heyday. 

The Normal Heart, 2014: The rise of the HIV/AIDS crisis is chronicled based on Larry Kramer's semi-autobiographical play of the same name. In 1981, a "gay plague" began sweeping through New York City and Kramer's anger at the lack of support from the media and medical community, as well as his fellow members of ACT UP, is palpable. The film is a powerful and emotional reminder of the terror of those early days and what a Los Angeles Times review referred to as "a howling call to action."

Angels in America, 2003: A man who is abandoned by his lover when he reveals to him he has AIDS, a closeted Mormon attorney, a dying Roy Cohn, the ghost of Ethel Rosenberg. It's no surprise Tony Kushner's play, upon which this HBO film is based, was titled "Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes." As columnist Frank Rich noted in The New York Times, "This epic is, among other things, a searing indictment of how the Reagan administration's long silence stoked the plague of AIDS in the 1980s."

An Early Frost, 1984: This MOW was the first time a major network (NBC) broadcast a program about AIDS. Michael (Aidan Quinn) is a lawyer who contracts HIV from his boyfriend, who had sex outside their assumedly monogamous relationship. It depicts much of the fear and ignorance that surrounded the disease at that time: Nurses leave Michael's food outside his hospital room, his sister is afraid to let her son near him and then won't visit him when she becomes pregnant. 

Straight Outta Compton, 2015: Nominated for an Academy Award for best original screenplay, this biographical film follows the rise and fall of the gangsta rap group N.W.A., including the AIDS death of member Eric "Eazy-E” Wright in 1985. Upon the movie's release, MTV News noted that, "The rap icon’s passing at 31 was an eye-opener for many people who weren’t educated about the disease at the time." 

The Living End, 1992: Perhaps the least-known movie on our list, this film written and directed by Gregg Araki was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Some reviewers dubbed it "a gay Thelma & Louise" for its plot revolving around two gay, HIV-positive men who go on the run after one of them murders a homophobic police officer.

Palm Springs AIDS Memorial Sculpture Tas …

by Dustin Gruber

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contact: The Development Department Inc.

Phone Number:  760-669-3366

[email protected]

Palm Springs AIDS Memorial Sculpture Task Force Launches Capital Campaign During World AIDS Day

November 30, 2021

The Palm Springs AIDS Memorial Sculpture Task Force is excited to announce that the AIDS Memorial Sculpture is one step closer to becoming a reality. The Palm Springs City Council recently unanimously approved the acceptance of the Sculpture to be placed in the new Downtown City Park. The Task Force has also partnered with DAP Health to provide a dedicated link to enable community members to help fund the Palm Springs AIDS Memorial Sculpture, visit https://psaidsmemorial.org to donate and for more information.  

“December 1, World AIDS Day was chosen as the launch, as it signifies the remembrance of those we’ve lost to HIV/AIDS and gives renewed hope that one day, the virus will be eradicated. It is our responsibility to remember their lives and to continue to tell their stories, so that they are never forgotten,” said Mike Richey, Co-Chair National AIDS Memorial. “AIDS has affected every community across the world, and it is for this reason that AIDS Memorials should be established to honor & remember those lost.”  

The Task Force’s vision is to provide the AIDS Memorial Sculpture as a gift to the City of Palm Springs and people of the Valley. Internationally acclaimed artist based in the Coachella Valley, Phillip K. Smith, III, has been commissioned to design the memorial, which will provide an opportunity for reflection, remembrance and hope once its placed in the new City of Palm Springs Downtown Park.

“The AIDS Memorial Sculpture will be a touchstone for unity, hope, grief, and healing in the Coachella Valley.  As a monolithic, singular stone sculpture, the carved surfaces will dance with light, shadow, and reflection.  Through rotating grooves cut into the gloss surface as matte marks signifying unity through struggle or the soft curve of undulating forms evoking healing over grief, this is a memorial to be touched, to be felt. It is a timeless, enduring landmark delicately placed on the land. It is heavy, but light -- lifting hope, lifting struggle, and lifting up what is important,” described Phillip K. Smith, III.

The Palm Springs AIDS Memorial Task Force’s mission is to ensure the lives of those lost are never forgotten, and that their stories and lives are remembered into the future.  We also envision an opportunity to use this memorial as a means to educate the public about HIV prevention, diagnosis and treatment options available to everyone who seeks information and to help direct individuals to resources available to them throughout the city, and the country.

The goal of the Task Force is to raise the necessary funds to support the creation, installation and ongoing resources to maintain this sculpture for generations to come.  Given the impact that HIV/AIDS has had on our community, we believe there will be great support for securing the necessary funds to make this AIDS Memorial Sculpture a reality. 

To help facilitate that fundraising goal, the Task Force has enlisted Paul Clowers and Ellen Wolf of The Development Department Inc. to lead the project. The Task Force has also partnered with DAP Health to act as the fiscal processing agent for donations which can be made by visiting daphealth.org/aids-memorial-fund. For addition information or donation assistance please contact The Development Department Inc. at [email protected], call 760-669-3366, or visit https://psaidsmemorial.org. 

DAP Health sees large uptick in HIV and …

by Dustin Gruber

DAP Health sees large uptick in HIV and STI testing since offering free service  

Eliminating cost barrier has drawn more people to get tested and care in past four months 

PALM SPRINGS, CA – Since eliminating the cost barriers in its Sexual Wellness Clinic/Orange Clinic, DAP Health has seen an ongoing STI increases while HIV has remained the same, according to CJ Tobe, the Director of Community Health and Sexual Wellness.  

DAP Health knew access to these services would be vital while social activities increased.  

In the first four months:  

  • The Orange Clinic saw over 2,000 patients. 
  • On average, DAP Health is seeing 170 more patients per month than when patients were being charged for services.  
  • The clinic started the same amount of people on PrEP during the four months than they did in the prior 12 months.  
  • There were over 50 appointments for rapid start to ensure people newly diagnosed with HIV, or returning to care, have access to HIV medications within 7 days.  

“We are proactively protecting the community’s health,” Tobe said. “Eliminating the cost barrier has proven to increase access to folks in our community for PrEP and STI services.” 

Free services include STI testing and treatment (gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis), HIV prevention (pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP; post-exposure prophylaxis, or PEP), and HIV and hepatitis C testing.

If anyone tests positive for HIV, the sexual wellness clinic will provide that person with rapid start medication and linkage to care, an essential step in reducing new HIV infections and improving the health outcomes of the person living with HIV. While the cost of ongoing HIV treatment is not part of the free services, DAP Health offers financial assistance. 

DAP Health continues to make sexual wellness a priority by providing more people with more access to health services. It also continues to expand its ability to treat more people. 

"We welcome all people, period. And now we are eliminating more barriers to access sexual wellness services," Tobe said while explaining why DAP Health has decided to offer free sexual wellness services. 

“One of those barriers is cost. DAP Health learned many people testing positive for STIs and HIV had limited incomes,” Tobe says. “For them, the prior $25 fee for STI testing and PrEP was an impediment to care. DAP Health decided to remove that cost barrier to improve health equity.”

About DAP Health 

DAP Health is an advocacy-based health center in Palm Springs, Calif., serving more than 10,000 patients, offering medical and mental health care, STI testing and treatment, dentistry, pharmacy, and lab services. A variety of wraparound services enable patients to experience optimal health, including social services, support groups, alternative therapies, and other wellness services. Excellent HIV care is provided by the largest team of specialized clinicians in the area.     

DAP Health opened one of California’s first COVID clinics and hotlines to offer screening, testing, and treatment. DAP Health also is working to address the social determinants of health that are causing negative health outcomes during this pandemic, like food and housing insecurity, joblessness, isolation, and access to ongoing healthcare. 

DAP Health’s sexual health clinic offers STI testing and treatment, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), and HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) testing. DAP Health has earned Charity Navigator’s highest rating for the twelfth consecutive year — landing DAP in the top 6% of nonprofits rated. The distinction recognizes that DAP Health exceeds industry standards in terms of financial health, accountability, and transparency.     

Visit www.daphealth.org to learn more.    

 

 

Revivals Online Artist Spotlight Feature …

by Dustin Gruber

Revivals Online Artist Spotlight Features DAP Health Clients

When words fail him, Robert Coughlin’s art speaks for him.

“I don’t know if I do too well in language, I feel a bit lacking in being able to communicate. I really think that painting for me is my voice.” Coughlin says. “I had a pretty rough childhood, so my images have always been really bright and colorful. I’ve always wanted anybody who sees them to feel lifted up.”

Coughlin, along with nine other DAP Health clients, will have his art for sale during the holiday season in an artist spotlight on Revival’s website (revivalsstores.com).

Corina Lujan, DAP Health Wellness Center Manager, says selling the art is an extension of a career development program at DAP Health that helps clients become productive. Through the program, it was apparent there were a number of talented artists. “A lot of them are really skilled with no place to sell their art,” Lujan explains.

“Selling their art is a way for them to make a little bit of extra money, especially since some of them are on disability. Their fixed income doesn’t allow for a lot.”

Normally, client art is displayed in the lobby of the Barbara Keller Love Building at DAP Health. But construction and COVID reduced the traffic flow through the hallway.

“We launched e-commerce at Revivals during the pandemic and felt the timing was right to use the online site to spotlight DAP Health clients,” says Director of Retail, Dane Koch. 100% of the proceeds will go directly to the artist. The timing of the online sale makes giving a gift for the greater good easier than ever before. The limited-timed event begins on November 25, 2021, and will end on January 2, 2022.

Coughlin says he is excited that he will be able to sell his watercolor and acrylic paintings. His paintings are a form of communication for him and one of the messages he wants to portray is his gratitude for DAP Health providing the care he needed.

“I wept the first time I went to the dentist there,” Coughlin says. “All my dental work was so necessary.

The dentists and everybody in the front office treated me with such compassion. It was very emotional for me that I wasn’t treated like a leper. I’m just so grateful for them, for Dr. (Tulika) Singh on the medical side and Josie (Pimentel) her assistant. They’ve just been so compassionate and kind and really supportive.”

Click here to meet the artists 

About Revivals

Giving Back Never Goes Out of Style. Shopping at Revivals funds hope and health for the 10,000 individuals who call DAP Health their healthcare home. Revivals Stores donate 100% of its profits, totaling over $1 million a year, to support comprehensive medical and mental healthcare at DAP Health.

Find Yourself at Revivals and support the community you want to create. Revivals has four locations throughout the Coachella Valley - Palm Springs, Indio, Cathedral City, and Palm Desert. Customers are also able to shop a broad collection of brand-new Mode furniture alongside vintage finds on its website.

DAP Health (DAP) is an advocacy-based health center in Palm Springs, CA offering medical and mental healthcare, STI testing and treatment, dentistry, pharmacy, and lab. A variety of wraparound services enable patients to experience optimal health, including social services, support groups, alternative therapies, and other wellness services. Excellent HIV care is provided by the largest team of specialized clinicians in the area. Visit Revivals Stores at www.revivalsstores.com.

The Partners for Life Season Opens with …

by Dustin Gruber

The Partners for Life Season Opens with a Story of Healing  

A beautiful evening, empowering messages, and a dazzling performance by Keisha D. This was the November 9 Season Opening Partners for Life event hosted at the home of Doug Chadwick, with catering provided by Lulu's California Bistro. It was the first Partners for Life gathering in almost two years continuing the theme of the organization's October 30 Desert AIDS Walk - Together Again.  

DAP Health CEO David Brinkman addressed supporters, providing an update on the advocacy-based healthcare organization and its focus on health equity.  

Explaining how DAP Health's roots in community care continue to guide future planning, Brinkman explained “We believe that everyone deserves to be healthy and that stems from our unique history." 

“Our founding 37 years ago at the beginning of the AIDS crisis was fraught with horrific human suffering, denied medical care, and outright cruelty. Hard-won lessons learned throughout our history led us to our health equity movement: Our fight to be healthy, our fight for our human rights.”  

Joining Brinkman on stage was singer and humanitarian, Keisha D who was honored with a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars in 2020. Keisha D has a long history of supporting the LGBTQ+ community and young people in our community. She established the Keisha D scholarship, an endowment through the Palm Springs Unified School District (PSUSD) that is awarded to underserved minority students who wish to pursue education in music and performing arts. 

Keisha D shared her experience at DAP Health. When she arrived for her first appointment, she felt hopeless because of her medical challenges.   

“I was lying in bed, I was 105 pounds, and I could barely lift my head,” Keisha D told attendees. “They rolled me in a wheelchair to see Dr. (David) Morris and I told him that all I want you to do is set me up for hospice. I am sick of this. I want to die. I don’t want to do this anymore."  

“Dr. Morris (DAP Health’s Chief Medical Officer) told me, ‘That is not what we are in the business to do. We’re in the business to heal you."  

"That’s what they have done". Keisha D pointed out as she confidently stood on the stage.   

But Keisha D can do much more than that today.  She performs every Monday night at The Purple Room in Palm Springs, as well as several other venues and events around the Coachella Valley.  Her voice was strong and empowering as she performed “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going,” from the hit musical Dreamgirls.  

She expressed what DAP Health means to her and the community. 

Illustrating the importance of access to comprehensive health care. Keisha D pointed out her illness was not HIV-related. The care she received at DAP Health was something she was not receiving from her previous care teams.  

“I’m telling you, from my heart, thank you for letting it be possible that this facility is open for anybody. I have a lot of other doctors who could not help me. And so, what you are doing, it's amazing.”  

In his update, Brinkman shared that DAP Health is working hard to expand its services. Free STI testing and treatment has been extended, partially due to the growing demands during the pandemic. 

During the pandemic, DAP Health opened the Marc Byrd Behavioral Health Clinic to address a growing need in mental health. A move that will double the organization's capacity to meet a growing and urgent need for care.  

Sharing that DAP Health will soon break ground on a new affordable housing project, Brinkman said “Together we can build a more just, equal, and healthy community right here in the desert."  

"Because of you, the DAP Health community is a leader in the work of health equity. Our founding, our advances in our health equity movement, drive us to find solutions for hunger, housing, addiction and to expand health access for our diverse community.”     

About DAP Health's Partners for Life

For over 30 years, members of the Partners for Life (PFL) program have provided generous financial support to help DAP Health with their ongoing battle to end epidemics like HIV and COVID; to provide equitable patient-centered health care to anyone who needs it; and to focus on the entire person's health through behavioral health and addiction services, dentistry, career counseling and placement, housing, social services, youth outreach and education, and more.  

As an advocacy-based health care organization, DAP Health offers access to care to over 10,000 clients annually, plus over 80 new individuals who visit our campus for the very first time every month.  

Learn more about becoming a member of Partners for Life