BOSTON, MA, ISSUED MARCH 27, 2023…In an effort to help control – and potentially end – the HIV epidemic, Whittier Street Health Center, a community health center with a mission to serve as a center of excellence that provides high quality and accessible health care and social services that achieve health equity, social justice, and the economic well-being of a diverse patient population, offers rapid testing, assessment, medical case management, and peer support for people who are at high-risk for HIV.

By offering both onsite care and home visits via its Mobile Health Team, the Whittier HIV Care Team has the capability to go directly into communities to find those who might be infected with HIV and require care.  In addition, Whittier has expanded its HIV-related services to include emergency housing and financial assistance.

The Center has also earned certification for pharmacy PrEP training by the National Clinician Consultation Center. PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) is a medication that can reduce the chance of getting HIV from sex or injection drug use. When taken as prescribed, PrEP is highly effective at preventing HIV.

Whittier partners with the Boston Public Health Commission, Multicultural AIDS Coalition, MA Department of Public Health, and MA Immigrant and Refugee Assistance in its mission to stem the HIV epidemic.

The expanded Whittier HIV services dovetails with the Biden-Harris Administration’s pledge to update and implement the nation’s HIV/AIDS strategy in an effort to aggressively reduce new HIV cases, while increasing access to treatment and eliminating inequitable access to medical and support services. Moreover, the White House has reinstated its National AIDS Policy and has diversified the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS by adding new members representing racial, ethnic, gender, and sexual minorities.

“Despite the many developments in HIV prevention and treatment options, there remain certain populations that are not benefitting equally from these advances,” said Frederica M. Williams, president and CEO of Whittier Street Health Center. “We are committed to doing our part to prevent new HIV transmissions by using proven interventions, such as PrEP, and getting vital prevention and treatment services directly to the people who need them.”

About Whittier Street Health Center

Whittier Street Health Center is an independently licensed community health care center with a mission of providing high quality, reliable and accessible primary healthcare for diverse populations while promoting wellness and eliminating health and social disparities. A champion of equitable access to high quality, patient-focused care, social justice and economic equity, Whittier Street Health Center is accredited by The Joint Commission (TJC), certified by the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) as a Patient-Centered Medical Home, and recognized by the NCQA for its Behavioral Health Integration. Through its locations in Roxbury and North Dorchester, and its Mobile Health Van program, Whittier Street Health Center serves more than 30,000 patients and 20,000 community outreach visits annually; its ethnically and racially diverse patient base is primarily made up of individuals from Roxbury, Dorchester, Jamaica Plain, the South End and greater Boston. Approximately 28% of Whittier’s patients are uninsured. Whittier Street Health Center provides a comprehensive array of 40 healthcare programs and services designed to meet the primary health care, behavioral health, and social needs of the community. For more information, please visit www.wshc.org as well as Facebook (www.facebook.com/WhittierStreetHealthCenter), Twitter (@Whittier_Boston), or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/whittier-street-health-center), or call 617-989-3221.