Volume 19 Number 1 Spring 2014

State Backs APICHA CHC’S Meet Our New Doctor! P h o t Dr. Ian Tang o

Transformation and Growth c r Joins APICHA e d i t :

VAP Award Funds Major Staff Increase CHC’s Team N a t e R i APICHA Community Health Center has g g some extraordinary news to share. We provided direct s On December 5, 2013, we received services to 3,057 New notification that we were awarded a Yorkers last year, more than APICHA CHC and its patients already Vital Access Program and Safety Net we ever served in a single feel the positive impact of the VAP Provider (VAP) award totaling over six calendar year. funds. As a result of the award we hired million dollars for our Service Access a new physician, Dr. Ian Tang. With Dr. Enhancement Project. Put another Tang’s help, APICHA CHC will meet its way, we will receive nearly $2,000,000 Latinos, immigrants and other people of goal of serving 3,000 patients by 2016. every year for the next three years to color. By providing access to compre - expand our healthcare services and hensive primary health care to some of Coming from a background as an infec - provide health care to more of the low- the city’s most-vulnerable individuals, tious disease specialist, APICHA CHC income community of the Lower East APICHA CHC believes it will help provides Dr. Tang with his first opportu - Side and Chinatown neighborhoods of achieve New York State’s aim of im - nity to practice primary care. He studied Manhattan. proving primary care to reduce emer - medicine in Hong Kong before coming gency room visits. to the United States to do his internal Receiving the VAP award provides fur - medicine residency. From there he com - ther financial stability and acts as an What Is A Vital Access Provider (Vap) pleted a fellowship, specializing in infec - important catalyst to APICHA CHCs to tious disease. After his training, he continue its transformation from an The VAP program was established by practiced HIV-specialty care at St. Clair’s HIV/AIDS coalition for A&PIs to a Feder - the New York State Department of Hospital, St. Vincent’s Catholic Medical ally Qualified Health Center-Look Alike Health’s Medicaid Redesign Team. In Center, Joseph Addabbo Health Center, (FQHC-LA) for all New Yorkers. The 2011, Governor Cuomo issued an Ex - and St. Barnabus Hospital. Dr. Tang funds provided through VAP will go di - ecutive Order aimed at redesigning also conducted lab research at Rocke - rectly to adding staff who will help bring New York’s Medicaid program. At that feller University and taught at New York more of our culturally-competent health time, New York spent twice as much on Medical College. care services to more members of the Medicaid per capita than the national low-income communities of the Lower average. Later, the governor laid out Dr. Tang pointed out that his transition to Eastside and Chinatown, as well as our his reform plan that included New York practicing primary care, while maintain - core target populations residing State’s new healthcare Triple Aim, ing an HIV-specialty care practice, mir - throughout New York City, including which was made up of the following el - rors APICHA CHC’s overall evolution. people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), ements: APICHA’s origin is in advocacy for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgen - • Improving Care-Improving the quality Asians and Pacific Islanders with HIV to der (LGBT) individuals, Asians and Pa - of care by focusing on safety, effec - disaggregate them from the “other” cat - cific Islanders (A&PI), Hispanics or Continued on Page 8 Continued on Page 4

2 We Have Pride 5 Take a Pill Once a Day to Prevent 11 Supportive Services Help Keep HIV Infection New Yorkers Healthy 2 Supportive Services Help Keep New Yorkers Healthy 6 APICHA CHC Celebrates 24 Years 11 A list of APICHA CHC's Funders 3 Working for Sustainability 8 State Backs APICHA’s Transforma - 12 Refreshing Our Brand to tion and Growth Reflect Who We’ve Become 4 Building a Better, Stronger APICHA Community Health Ctr. 10 Our Thriving Trans* Health Clinic 2 APICHA Community Health Center NEWS • Spring 2014

We have PRIDE! A publication of APICHA Community Health Center Throughout June, NYC celebrates 400 Broadway LGBT Pride with parades and festivals New York, NY 10013 in all 5 boroughs. This year APICHA Entrance on 70 Walker St. CHC will be providing HIV screening, as Phone: 212.334.7940 well as Gonorrhea and Chlamydia test - Fax: 212.334.7956 ing at Queens Pride Festival and Brook - Healthcare Services: 212.334.6029 lyn Pride. Come and support us from noon to 5pm at both these events. Photo Credit: Wikimedia EDITORIAL BOARD Therese R. Rodriguez Queens pride is celebrating 22 years as 37th Avenue leading to the festival site Chief Executive Officer the largest LGBT event in Queens with at 75th Street. Brooklyn Pride is cele - Aleli Alvarez a theme of openness, togetherness and brating 18 years of pride with a week of Executive Assistant to the CEO acceptance. The parade and festival events culminating with a community Yumiko Fukuda are in Jackson Heights, with the parade festival on Saturday, June 14th. The Chief Operating Officer beginning at noon at 87th Street and festival is located on 5th Avenue from Robert Murayama, MPH 3rd to 9th Street. Chief Medical Officer Gertrudes Pajaron Chief Development Officer We experienced a 17% In addition, our organization will march increase of Lesbian, Gay, David Garcia, EdD, MPH in NYC’s annual Pride March on June Development Specialist Bisexual, and Queer New 29th. If you are interested in marching Phillip Miner Yorkers from all five bor - with us, please contact Stephanie Development Specialist oughs receiving our culturally Chary, Project Connect Coordinator competent services. at 646.744.0990, or by email BOARD OF DIRECTORS [email protected]. Jaime S. Huertas, MPH Chair German B. Compas Secretary David A. Boyd APICHA CHC’s Supportive Services Alexander Chan, Esq. Edward Kai Chiu Help Keep New Yorkers Healthy Donald Credle Stephan Davis For many people with chronic diseases, ensure that HIV-positive patients are Anthony Feliciano staying on top of their care can be over - not lost in the complexities of access - Simona Chung Kwon, DrPH, MPH whelming; for limited-English speakers ing services from multiple sites, ensur - Eliza Eng, MPH or people new to the United States’ ing they continue to receive the array of Louis Madigan health care system, it can feel impossi - services they need to stay healthy. This Barbara McCambry ble. APICHA CHC understands this and program was supported by grant num - Eliza Eng, MPH has many programs in place to help en - ber H89HA0015 from the HIV/AIDS Bu - Michael Yusingbo sure these individuals receive the care reau, United States Department of Therese R. Rodriguez, Ex Officio, CEO they need to stay healthy. Here, we Health and Human Services, Health Re - highlight two programs that involve over - sources and Services Administration. APICHA CHC’S mission is to improve the sight and treatment from primary care This grant is funded through the Ryan health of our community and to increase providers, specialists, mental health White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension access to comprehensive primary care, preventative health services, mental providers, pharmacists, and may include Act of 2009, Minority AIDS Initiative for health and supportive services. We are housing and legal assistance. Part A Grantees, through the New York committed to excellence and providing City Department of Health & Mental Hy - culturally competent services that en - hance the quality of life. Care Coordination. Our team of Care giene to Public Health Solution. Our APICHA CHC advocates for an provides Coordinators and Patient Navigators Care Coordination services are avail - a welcoming environment and under - able to clients who receive primary care served and vulnerable people, especially at APICHA CHC, Astor Medical Group, Asians and Pacific Islanders, the LGBT Last year we experienced and Pride Medical. Community and individuals living with a 75% increase in HIV+ and affected by HIV/AIDS. clients receiving case man - Health Home. In response to mandates Special thanks to Fresh Concentrate LLC agement and care coordina - brought on by the Affordable Care Act in for the newsletter design and Rhina tion support services from 2010, APICHA CHC began to restructure Torres for production coordination and its case management to include Medi - for contributing articles for this issue of 140 to 245 clients. APICHA News. Continued on Page 9 APICHA Community Health Center NEWS • Spring 2014 3 P h o t

Working for Sustainability One of our nurse practi - o c

tioners, Susanne Ren - r e deiro, hard at work. d volved in making the necessary i t

The Journey Towards : changes. N a t Becoming an FQHC e R i g

Similarly, members of APICHA CHC’s g

Continues s senior staff were invited to meet with APICHA CHC’s senior staff works tire - Dr. Laura Cheever and staff of HRSA’s lessly to ensure APICHA continues to HIV/AIDS Bureau (HAB). Subsequent provide sustainable, quality health care to the meeting, Dr. Cheever sent a letter services for the communities we serve. to CEO Therese Rodriguez expressing Aside from direct services, so much of great appreciation for the presentations the work involves advocacy. Highlights we gave to her staff. The following is of recent advocacy activities include excerpted from a letter from Dr. Laura meetings with Health Resources and Cheever: Services Administration officials. In January 2014, representatives from “…I want to thank you for coming to APICHA CHC were invited by HRSA to Rockville on January 31, 2014, to share introduce APICHA, our service model, with us the incredible journey that and how we transformed from an APICHA has made in its evolution to HIV/AIDS clinic to a Community Health become a community health center. We Center to key staff of HRSA’s Bureau of were all very impressed with the pres - Primary Health Care, Jim Macrae, As - entation that you and your staff pro - sociate Administrator, Dr. Seiji Hayashi, vided. nounced later this year. Receiving a Chief Medical Officer, and other staff. NAP award is a necessary step for As head of the Bureau of Primary “We understand that in order for APICHA CHC to receive its full FQHC Health Care (BPHC), Macrae manages APICHA to continue to serve people liv - designation. We have unsuccessfully a nearly $3 billion budget that supports ing with HIV/AIDS, you had to trans - applied for a NAP award in the past, the health care safety net for many un - form your organization into a larger but are hopeful 2014 is our year. A derserved people across the country. healthcare service provider. We have NAP grant would provide funding of up APICHA’s team led by CEO Therese R. seen many agencies faced with similar to $650,000 per year to support care Rodriguez was composed of Chief decisions either ignore the pending re - for poor and low-income patients.

Other benefits include eligibility for [APICHA CHC is] a poster child of HIV/AIDS Federal Tort Claims Act medical mal - practice insurance reduces the burden organizations seeking to transform into a of high costs of malpractice insurance community health center. coverage. We would also become eligi - ble for supplemental and capital fund - alities of changing funding streams or ing from HRSA Medical Officer Robert Murayama, MD, give up their mission. APICHA has MPH; Chief Operating Officer Yumiko taken the bold steps to broaden its APICHA is a vital healthcare resource Fukuda, LMSW; Chief Development Of - mission while retaining its roots in HIV for Manhattan’s Chinatown and the ficer Gertrudes Pajaron; and Chief Fi - and in serving Asian Pacific Islanders Lower East Side neighborhoods and nancial Officer Jake Lee. and people of color.” beyond. To our patients, we are their safe space and safety net – part of the “You are a poster child of HIV/AIDS or - In 2010, APICHA identified that the pri - quality of care they can expect of the ganizations seeking to transform into a mary path to its long-term stability is a APICHA brand. community health center,” remarked designation as FQHC. This goal re - Mr. Macrae after the presentation about mains current and the agency is com - APICHA’s evolution, its new model of mitted to competing for this About 73% of HIV+ patients care and data on patient health. We designation when presented with a new receiving medical care in our learned from this meeting that very few opportunity. organizations like APICHA have suc - clinic suppress their viral cessfully completed the transition, and The next big step toward achieving that loads, thereby increasing senior staff found Macrae’s remark up - goal is applying for HRSA’s New Ac - their quality of life. lifting in view of the strenuous work in - cess Point (NAP) award when it is an - 4 APICHA Community Health Center NEWS • Spring 2014 Building a Better, Stronger APICHA Community Health Center – Donate to Our Capital Campaign! A celebration of our 24 years of service tions throughout NYC of people living tion of more exam rooms within the includes our success in transforming with HIV/AIDS, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual empty space. from an AIDS service organization to a and Transgender individuals, immi - community health center. For example, grants and communities of color. Our goal is to build 18 medical exam our medical care patients prefer our APICHA CHC is a safety net and safe rooms with multi-purpose rooms for cultural and linguistic competency as space for these communities who are mental health counseling, HIV testing 65% identify as gay, bisexual or lesbian often marginalized from mainstream and other support services. The project and 75% represent communities of health care providers. estimate is 3 million dollars. Therefore, color. In the last four years, our HIV pri - we need your financial support now Our organization continues to grow to mary care clinic experienced a dramatic more than ever. We are eager to work meet the health needs of our diverse 273% increase in HIV patients and our with you, our friends, donors and sup - communities. Every inch of our medical Trans* clinic increased dramatically porters to meet our fundraising goals to clinic at 400 Broadway is utilized. Cur - from 9 clients in 2010 to 187 trans* expand our medical clinic. Your dona - rently, we are limited in serving more clients today. These achievements tion will contribute to making a signifi - patients with our clinical space, which demonstrate our commitment to serv - cant impact on the health of our impacts opportunities for growth. Our ing residents of the Lower Eastside and communities. More exams rooms mean need for more space is dire. Meeting Chinatown neighborhoods of Manhat - more people will receive the health care the needs of our current patients and tan, as well as our core target popula - services they need. Your donation will anticipated patient growth requires directly help increase the quality of life more exam rooms. There is a large for people on the fringe of the health - amount of unused square footage, both The amount of patients re - care system that need us. Donate in the space formerly occupied by the ceiving medical care in our today to make us a better and stronger sub-tenant on the first floor of our primary care increased by community health center by contacting building, as well as space in the base - Ding Pajaron, Chief Development Offi - 52% with 1,143 patients. ment. Unfortunately, we currently lack cer at (646)-884-5383. the appropriate funds for the construc -

Meet Our New Doctor! Dr. Ian Tang Joins APICHA CHC’s Team

Continued from Page 1 competent care to our patients. This is classical piano, but haven’t done that in egory of AIDS surveillance data collec - shown through Dr. Tang’s heritage and a while because my partner is a musi - tion and reporting. To adapt to the personal history, as well as his language cian.” He joked, “We can’t be playing changing needs of the community and proficiency, “I speak English and Can - piano at the same time. Currently I’ve to the healthcare environment, APICHA tonese fluently. I can manage with Man - been painting; that’s my hobby.” When moved into HIV/AIDS specialty care and darin and Spanish. And, I guess I can pressed about how serious about this has now providing primary care to speak tourist French, too [Laughs]. “ hobby he is, Dr. Tang divulged, “I’ve everyone. been in shows! I donated a painting to As one of the first faces newcomers to The Twenty-Fourth Anniversary Benefit APICHA CHC may meet, we asked Dr. gala’s silent auction!” When asked about his similar transition, Tang what a new patient can expect. He Dr. Tang explained, “I view practicing pri - reports, “The environment is private, re - When asked what he enjoys about mary career as the next step in my ca - spectful, neat, clean, and on time. It working at APICHA CHC Dr. Tang says, reer. Primary care allows me to treat an runs like a really nice private office, but “I had almost no experience working entire person, just not one part.” Dr. it’s a non-profit! For their initial visit, it with transgender patients prior to work - Tang says he was drawn to APICHA takes about 30 minutes to get a medical ing here. Now I’ve me a lot of very nice CHC’s unique ability to provide cultur - history and a brief physical and flu shot transgender people. Some of the nicest ally-competent care to a variety of vul - or any other quick vaccines. The sec - people I’ve encountered and worked nerable communities, “APICHA is an ond visit is a full physical. For HIV pa - with! I think as a society we still have essential portal to health care for many tients, the first interview is up to an hour quite a ways to go and all of these different people.” because there’s a lot of history to go strange ideas about minority groups are through and labs to conduct—it’s more based in ignorance. But at APICHA, we As with all of APICHA CHC’s new em - complex than a standard physical.” try to understand everybody from every ployees, Dr. Tang’s history and abilities Asked about what he does in his free background.” reflect our goal of providing culturally time, Dr. Tang told us, “I used to play APICHA Community Health Center NEWS • Spring 2014 5 Taking a Pill Once a Day to Prevent HIV Infection P

Although the idea of taking a pill once PrEP is based on the pill h o t daily to help you remain HIV negative or working to help keep o C r uninfected sounds like a fairytale, the someone uninfected by e d i t reality is that it is very true. This is the keeping the virus from es - : G e latest HIV prevention method gaining tablishing a permanent t t y I attention among individuals who are at infection, if they engaged m a high risk of infection. Individuals who in a high HIV risk activity g e are at high risk of HIV infection include such as unprotected sex - s “anyone who has unprotected anal sex, ual activity or sharing multiple sex partners, an HIV-positive needles, where HIV was partner, difficulty with condom use, a present. history of STDs, engage in sex work, or injection drug use” explains Jonathan The pill is called Truvada Bannigan, Men’s Health Coordinator at or the combination med - APICHA CHC. People can benefit from ication tenofovir diso - this daily pill to decrease their risk and proxil fumarate plus emtricitabine. In Jonathan further clarifies that, “PrEP is remain uninfected. This new prevention studies, daily dose of Truvada helped an excellent way for those at high risk method is called PrEP or Pre-Exposure prevent HIV acquisition among HIV- for HIV infection, especially men and Prophylaxis. negative adults when used with other transgender women who have sex with HIV prevention methods. When Truvada men, to take ownership of their health PrEP is the latest prevention tool for is taken consistently every day and and engage another line of defense use within a broad spectrum of HIV used with other prevention methods against HIV infection.” prevention tools. Other HIV prevention like condoms, researchers estimate it tools include abstinence or not engag - may be up to 92-99% effective at pre - It is important to note that PrEP is not intended to be used as the only method It is important to note that PrEP is not in - of HIV prevention, but rather in combi - nation with other methods such as reg - tended to be used as the only method of ular condom use. The best benefit of PrEP’s effectiveness was seen among HIV prevention, but rather in combination those people in the study who received with other methods monthly HIV testing, counseling, used condoms and treated their sexually ing in sex, asking your sexual partner venting HIV infection. Dr. Murayama, transmitted infections. In addition, their HIV status before sexual activity Chief Medical Officer at APICHA Com - those who reported taking the pill and when they were last tested, engag - munity Health Center explains the im - everyday had the highest levels of pro - ing in regular HIV and STD testing, re - portant role this new prevention tool tection. Taking PrEP includes getting ducing your number of sexual partners can contribute to the communities we routine blood work and being moni - and consistently using condoms. PrEP serve. “It is empowering to be able to tored for potential side effects. is based upon scientific studies among take one pill a day to prevent HIV ac - HIV negative individuals who decreased quisition. It can sometimes be very diffi - Although PrEP was approved by the their chances of acquiring HIV by taking cult to get a partner to use condoms, or FDA in July of 2012, many medical a daily pill used to effectively treat HIV be sure the condom remains intact, so providers may still not know about it or infected patients. This medication, having additional protection is power - are inexperienced with prescribing the when used to treat HIV positive individ - ful. It does not, however, protect medication. As a result, APICHA CHC uals, works to prevent HIV from making against STDs or pregnancy.” was invited by the AIDS Institute of the multiple copies to spread infection New York State Health Department as throughout the body. The science of Based on studies to date, the U.S. one of six health centers implementing Food and Drug Administration ap - PrEP as a standard of care for HIV neg - proved the fixed dose pill Truvada for ative patients at risk of infection. HIV Our outreach services use as a prevention tool known as PrEP negative gay and bisexual men, as well increased with more LGBT for sexually active adults at high risk for as trans-women who have sex with individuals receiving safer HIV infection. PrEP can play an integral men can learn more about PrEP by ac - cessing our primary care clinic. The sex kits and health education role in helping to reduce new HIV infec - tions in New York City and in the United costs for the clinic visits are paid by the with risk reduction activities. States as it offers an extra prevention patient’s health insurance or out o method that was not available before. Continued on Page 11 6 APICHA Community Health Center NEWS APICHA Community Health Center Celebrates P h o t We Thank Our 2014 Anniversary o C r e

Benefit Sponsors for Supporting d i t :

Our Endeavors and for C o r

Continuously Making Our Gala k y

Better Each Year L e e

Amida Care

Astor Medical 2013 Gala Honorees pose with APICHA Board members. On May 22, 2014, friends and support - fore, every penny raised through the gala ers of APICHA Community Health Cen - helps hold APICHA CHC’s programs and ter will return to Grand Hyatt’s services together. Manhattan Ballroom for our 24th an - niversary celebration, the annual benefit Our 2014 honorees are Dr. Jean Lobell, Edward Kai Chiu, MD gala A Thousand and One Champions Alec Mapa, Patrick McGovern and Jane gala. As has been the tradition, the event Schwartz. Consul General of the Philip - will feature an award ceremony to honor pine Consulate of New York, Ambassa - the achievements of individuals who dor Mario de Leon; Ma-Yi Theater have made significant contributions to Artistic Director Ralph Pena; Amida Care the fight to end HIV/AIDS and to our ef - President Doug Wirth; and APICHA CHC Gilead Sciences forts to improve the well-being in the CEO Therese R. Rodriguez will present Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender the awards. community, the Asian and Pacific Is - lander communities and other communi - Dr. Jean Lobell is the ties of color. Other highlights of the Senior Managing Direc - event will include a silent auction, enter - tor of Community Re - Lou Madigan & Gun Hur tainment by saxophonist Stephan Davis source Exchange. She and pianist Joshua Kartes and a special plays a key role in mak - number: the unveiling of our new logo ing New York City’s non - (see page ___on our rebranding story). profit organizations stronger and more effective in fighting Proceeds from the benefit gala have poverty and advancing social justice. been essential to APICHA CHC’s ability She served on the Board of Directors of N. Cheng & Co. to provide quality services to our clients several non-profit organizations includ - and patients. They fill gaps in opera - ing United Way of NYC, the Asian Ameri - tional costs that are not covered by can Federation and APICHA Community grants and service revenues. For exam - Health Center. ple, only 36%-six percent of an unin - sured patient’s visit is covered by Award-winning actor, Jorge Z. Ortoll, self-paying patients and Indigent Care comedian, and writer Ma-Yi Theatre Company grant that we receive; the remaining un - Alec Mapa flew in from covered costs must be raised from pri - Los Angeles for the oc - vate contributions. Advocacy is an casion. Alec’s career on ongoing work that is largely unfunded. Broadway, television, Every year, we spend approximately and movies spans more $50,000 to take our messages to policy than twenty years and started shortly Gilda Sambajon, RN makers locally and nationally. In fact, after graduating from NYU when he & Elvin Parson, MD with the closure of the Paul Rapoport starred in a Tony Award winning Broad - Foundation, we must turn to others for way show called M. Butterfly. He can be support of this important work. There - seen this season on ABC Family’s hit Spring 2014 7 24 Years of Service to the New York Community

drama show Switched at Birth and on number of undiagnosed persons living foundation was estab - reruns of Ugly Betty and Desperate with HIV & HCV and link them to care. lished as the first Housewives. As an out gay actor of Fil - Formerly the Chief Executive Officer of staffed, independent ipino descent, Mapa has long been sup - Harlem United Community AIDS Center, LGBT foundation in the porting HIV/AIDS, gay, lesbian and Inc., he has been a leader in the fight nation. She has shep - Asian-American causes. against HIV/AIDS for the past twenty herded the foundation years. In addition to his affiliation with to its current position as Patrick McGovern Harlem United, Mr. McGovern partici - one of the top grantmakers to LGBT joined Gilead Sciences’ pated in the creation of AmidaCare, Inc., communities of color in the country. She Government Affairs unit a special needs insurance plan for peo - also served on the original board of Fun - as a Director in Septem - ple with HIV/AIDS. ders for LGBTQ Issues; is a member of ber of 2010. He is re - the grantmaking committee of the NYC sponsible for the Jane D. Schwartz has been Executive AIDS Fund; and of the steering commit - development of FOCUS, Director of the Paul Rapoport Founda - tee of the Spend-Down Working Group a fifteen city initiative to reduce the tion (PRF) since 1987, the year when the of foundations.

APICHA Community Health Center would like to thank our funders. Government Grants Gilda Sambajon, RN & Jimena Martinez Wai Kong Hiew Centers for Disease Control Private Grants Superior Computer Sandra R. Houston Donald Wernsing and Prevention: Broadway Cares/ Equity Consulting Inc. Jaime S. Huertas, MPH Herbert and Jessica White • The Young Men Who Have Fights AIDS, Inc. Chau Trinh-Shevrin Marilyn Jackson Douglas Wirth Sex with Men Coalition for Asian American Dr. Dickson Jean Darryl L. Wong • HIV Prevention, Communi - Children and Families $100-$999 Amy Jethwa Shu Hui P. Wu ties of Color C. J. Huang Foundation Robert C. Ackart Dr. Anita Jongco Xiaona Zhu Health Resources and Serv - Gay Men’s Health Crisis Joseph Akima Charles King ices Administration Hunger Solutions Laurinda R. Alcantara Eric Leach $99 and Below • HIV Early Intervention Serv - Hunter College Research Ellen Alpert Alan W. Lee Sheila O'Doherty ices on Sex Workers Asian American Federation Matthew Lesieur Amir Latifi New York State Department The Paul Rapoport Ying F. Au Dr. Spencer Lew William F. Lollis of Health AIDS Institute Foundation, Inc. • Multiple Service Rajeev Babbar Jarron Magallanes Julian Rodriguez Agency/Community Devel - Rob Bannon M & W International Elsa R. Tabije Contributions opment Initiative Matthew Bernardo Dr. Yeou-Cheng Ma Judy Trevino $5,000-$10,000 • NIV/STI/Hep C Prevention Monique R. Binford Lourdes T. Marzan Wilson Zapata Amida Care and Related Services for Donald M. Brescia Marta Siberio Consulting Inc. Gay Men Astor Medical Group, PC John Budin Jun Matsuyoshi Matching Grants & Other • Nutritional Health Education Edward K. Chiu Carr Business Systems Carlton E. Meier Campaigns • Health and Human Services Louis A. Madigan Oliver Chen Mihaela Mihai AIG Matching Grants Program for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual N. Cheng & Co., PC and Transgender Bi Jeng Cheng Carl Nelson American Express Charitable Banghee Chi Kenneth O'Brien Fund • New York State Office of $1,000-$4,999 CohnReznick, LLP Daniel O'Connell Network for Good Health Insurance Programs Aleli C. Alvarez Community Resource Yoshiyuki J. Oshima Pfizer United Way Campaign • New York Health Benefit Ex - Beth Israel Medical Center change: In Person Assistors Exchange Friday Oviawe, CPA Zoetis Employee Charitable David Boyd Giving and Navigators Dr. Christian M. Custodio Ding Pajaron Leona Chamberlin • Vital Access Provider Pro - Dr. Mars and Mrs. Max Park Drs. John J. Chin and Haftan Cora Custodio In-Kind Donations gram Thomas Pelosi Eckholdt Paolo R. Custodio Artisan House New York State Assembly: Drs. Ed & Lina Plantilla Richard Gottfried; Michael Sherida I. David & Linden Mar - Noreen Daniel Dr. Mars and Cora Custodio tinez Joanne S. Propp DenDekker Dr. Ian Darnton-Hill Frames Bowling Lounge Council Member Daniel Teodoro Regus New York City Department of Stephan Davis Jason Office Products Dromm Susanne Rendeiro Health and Mental Hygiene Nora C. De La Serna Ma-Yi Theater Company /Public Health Solutions: Yumiko Fukuda Lutgarda Resurreccion Padma Doobay Office Depot • Ryan White Part A CARE Harlem United Ivan Rivera Candy Eng Resorts World Casino NYC Coordination Paul D. C. Huang Murray Rosenthal Firecom, Inc. Robert Restaurant • New York City Council Com - Dr. Robert Murayama-Green - Marvin Siegel Dr. Angeles M. Flores Julian Rodriguez munity of Color Initiative baum John Spinelli Susan P. Flores-Espinoza Southern Wine and Spirits New York City Council Loida Nicolas Lewis Eduardo Sanz Aquilino Gabor Superior Computer • Speaker Christine Quinn New York-Presbyterian Reuben S. Seguritan Dr. Alan J. Goldstein Consulting Inc. • New York City Council Local The Parkside Group LLC Maria Francisca Sevilla Initiatives Great Canal Realty Venus Vacharakitja Elvin B. Parson, M.D. Jeffrey Sharlach • Council Members: Margaret Corporation Donald Wernsing Pride Medical, PLLC Shatzkin Systems Chin;Daniel Dromm: Rosie Jennifer Hayashida Smart Health Medical, PC Carol M. Suzuki Mendez Marjorie J. Hill This list includes funds received Therese R. Rodriguez Unity Building Services Inc. • Manhattan Delegation Michael J. Hirschhorn from May 1, 2013 to April 30, 2014 Wynn Salisch Venus Vacharakitja 8 APICHA Community Health Center NEWS • Spring 2014 State Backs APICHA’S Transformation and Growth P

Continued from Page 1 h o t Nurse practitioner, Sara o

tiveness, patient-centeredness, timeli - c r

Ponce, with one of APICHA e

ness, efficiency, and equity d i

CHC's patients. t :

• Improving Health-Improving health by N a t addressing root causes of poor health e R i e.g., poor nutrition, physical inactivity, g g and substance use disorders s • Reducing costs- reducing per capita costs.

Given that the overall goal of the Medi - caid redesign is to lower costs, Gover - nor Cuomo understood that it would be necessary to invest in the health deliv - ery systems in some communities to accomplish the Triple Aims. “Creating healthier communities is one of my ad - ministration’s highest priorities, and en - suring that New York’s most vulnerable the hiring of additional primary care and cure the VAP award is another example populations have access to quality mental health providers, support staff, of how our organization is transforming medical services is vital to fulfilling that and other essential administrative staff. in response to America's rapidly chang - goal,” said Governor Cuomo in a Janu - With this staff enhancement, APICHA ing health care environment to better ary 27, 2014 press release. “This fund - CHC will be able to serve more people meet the needs of some of New York ing will improve health care in and provide better access to care. City’s most vulnerable populations. To communities across the state by pro - fully understand what the VAP award viding the necessary support to these By recognizing APICHA CHC as a Vital and the subsequent growth means for facilities, and allow them to continue Access Provider, New York State ac - the organization and the communities delivering much-needed services to knowledged that our care model is suc - we serve, it is necessary to understand New Yorkers.” cessful in improving the health of our other recent transformative events. community and increasing access to These facilities became known as Vital comprehensive primary care, preventa - Recent advancements in HIV preven - Access Providers. A designation of tive health services, mental health, and tion and treatment shifted the focus of Vital Access Provider (VAP) means the supportive services. For this reason, government-funded programs to med - state has determined a healthcare or - the Service Enhancement Project does ical approaches and targeting popula - ganization is necessary for providing not aim to change our health delivery tions at highest risk for HIV. The the healthcare needs of a vulnerable system; instead, it aims to enhance it. medicalization of HIV/AIDS led to the community. A VAP designation also Put simply, this means more healthcare categorization of HIV/AIDS as a chronic qualifies an organization for supple - providers, more staff for our support disease. Furthermore, the Obama Ad - mental financial assistance to support services, and more administrative staff ministration developed the country’s their longer-term financial viability. to keep all of APICHA CHC’s opera - first-ever National HIV/AIDS Strategy tions humming along. (NHAS), which, among many directives, The funds provided by the state calls for the integration of HIV primary through the Vital Access/ Safety Net As we add staff, APICHA CHC will care in general primary care. NHAS Provider Program grant must be used make it a goal to keep our mission in was followed by the passage of the Af - primarily to improve community care mind. Our staffing choices will reflect fordable Care Act (ACA), another mon - and to achieve defined financial, opera - our commitment to providing culturally umental policy that widely impacted tional, and quality improvement goals competent services for people living health care delivery and reimburse - related to integration or reconfiguration with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), Lesbian, Gay, ments in this country. of services offered by the facility. Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) indi - viduals, Asians and Pacific Islanders, These policies made it clear that it was More Healthcare Providers, Hispanics or Latinos, immigrants and necessary for HIV-focused organiza - More Patients Served: other people of color. tions to integrate HIV specialty services The funding will be used over the next into primary care and provide primary How Apicha Chc Transformed three years to achieve enhanced finan - care to people without an HIV diagnosis To Make This Possible: cial and operational capacity including or close their doors. APICHA em - APICHA CHC's successful effort to se - braced the shift in service delivery, but APICHA Community Health Center NEWS • Spring 2014 9

CHC joined Community Health Center Association of New York State For this reason, the Service Enhancement (CHCANYS) in its advocacy efforts to Project does not aim to change our change the eligibility requirements. When APICHA CHC attended the health delivery system; instead, it aims CHCANYS Statewide conference in October of 2013, we learned our efforts to enhance it. were successful and we were eligible to apply for this award as an FQHC look- faced many challenges. The greatest and residents in the surrounding area of alike. challenge was the lack of supplemental Chinatown and the Lower East Side to funding to make the necessary determine the areas of greatest need. What’s Next!!!: changes. As a result, we realized it was neces - The importance of the VAP award to sary to again broaden our reach and the overall transformation of APICHA Undaunted, APICHA began the process bring our culturally sensitive care to the CHC from a HIV/AIDS-focused practice of broadening its services in 2008. With city’s Hispanic/Latino communities. to a community health center cannot be a new building at its current 400 Broad - overstated. In short, these funds will way location, APICHA CHC knew the On September 10, 2012, APICHA CHC help us bring our culturally competent HIV service delivery model it developed received a designation as a FQHC-LA, services to more New Yorkers and im - to treat its A&PI HIV-positive patients which provided enhanced Medicaid prove health outcomes for all of our tar - could be successfully adapted to a pa - and Medicare reimbursements, an ex - get communities. We anticipate tient-centered service delivery model panded discounted drug program, and expanding to serve 3000 patients by that would meet the special primary access to National Health Service 2016. To accomplish this, we have to care needs of PLWHA, the LGBT popu - Corps Providers who provide care in let our communities know we are here lation, all A&PIs and other immigrants health professional shortage areas for them, so we’re re-branding APICHA with limited English proficiency. These across the country. In short, it provided CHC and launching a social marketing primary care services became available some much needed stability to APICHA campaign (See page 12 for more de - in 2009. CHC’s services. tails). The expansion and growth create a new challenge—we will need more This service delivery system proved to When the New York State Department exam rooms. To ensure those become be a success. In 2010, APICHA CHC of Health announced the VAP funds as available, APICHA CHC has embarked was awarded the highest recognition part of its Medicaid redesign, APICHA on the process of expanding our cur - for quality, as a Level 3 Physician Prac - CHC recognized a new opportunity to rent location at 400 Broadway (See tice Connections ®- Patient Centered provide stabilization and growth for our page 4 for more details). We are ex - Medical Home (PPC-PCMH), by the organization. It was clear that receiving cited to share our progress and our National Committee on Quality Assur - these funds would increase our ability growing impact on the communities we ance. At this same time, APICHA CHC to offer our proven health care services serve. We cannot thank our friends, began applying for a FQHC designation to the city’s vulnerable and marginal - partners, and patients enough for mak - through the federal governments Health ized communities. However, when ing our transformation possible. Resources and Services Administration originally announced, Centers for (HRSA) to expand our services to other Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) medically underserved , while preserv - had decided to exclude both FQHC Our licensed behavioral ing our core HIV-services. To secure and FQHC-Look Alike organizations, health providers delivered the FQHC designation we conducted like APICHA CHC, from the funding. 1,526 mental health visits to comprehensive demographic and epi - Understanding that this oversight sig - demiological research on the health is - nificantly impacted the VAP program’s 500 patients last year. sues affecting our target populations ability to accomplish its goals, APICHA

Supportive Services Help Keep New Yorkers Healthy Continued from Page 2 ates as a downstream provider for some caid patients with chronic illnesses be - of the Health Homes designated by the Our Health Home chronic yond HIV. This new model of case man - New York State Department of Health disease case management agement, known as Health Home, caters (DOH). Currently, we are a downstream services tripled in patient to patients with multiple chronic diseases provider for hospitals in four boroughs: size with 344 clients from 110 Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and the such as diabetes, substance abuse, and enrolled in 2012. psychiatric illnesses. APICHA CHC oper - Bronx. 10 APICHA Community Health Center NEWS • Spring 2014 APICHA CHC’s Thriving Trans* Health Clinic

Everywhere you look around APICHA gender-affirming sur - Community Health Center you can see gery, and secured a Trans* Health Program examples of our growth. There’s no position as a nurse Coordinator, Cecilia Gentili better place to witness our expansion with his true identity. of services than by watching the rapid APICHA CHC was expansion of the Trans* Health Clinic there to help him every (the THC). In two and a half years, step of the way. APICHA CHC has gone from serving 9 trans* patients to serving approximately At the core of the THC 190. We use the term “trans*” to refer is the belief that nurtur - to individuals who align themselves ing the overall wellness with a number of identities along the of trans* individuals is transgender spectrum, including those key for better health identifying as gender non-conforming, outcomes. In addition gender variant, and gender queer. to our health services, Through the growth of the THC it is we offer a number of possible to witness our commitment to social services to sup - improving the health of our community port our patients such and to increasing access to compre - as housing assistance, hensive primary care, preventive health help with finding health services, mental health and supportive insurance plans that cover services gery/gender affirming surgery. services. specific to this population, including cross-gender hormone therapy and When the THC first meets with a new We attribute this success largely to in - sexual reassignment surgery/gender af - trans* patient, we work with them to tense outreach activities led by Cecilia firming surgery. Moreover, our trans* determine what services that want and Gentili, APICHA CHC’s Trans* Health patients have access to all services that need. When Drew first came to Program Coordinator. Ms. Gentili is APICHA offers: individual and group APICHA CHC he remembers, “I spoke able to successfully convey APICHA counseling and mentorship programs, with Cecilia about my desire to begin CHC’s non-medical, mental health and care coordination, food and nutrition, hormones, have gender affirming sur - supportive services. Her persistent out - acupuncture, and case management. gery, and let them know my insurance reach into the community targets trans* APICHA has also strengthened relation - would be ending after my graduation individuals who are looking to address ships with local organizations that pro - from school.” After better understand - their health issues in a safe space. vide trans*-friendly services not offered ing Drew’s needs he recalls, “I was able to begin the process of seeing a pri - mary healthcare provider and beginning hormones within a few months. [The A lack of knowledge regarding the op - THC] also informed me of a doctor in NYC who could perform my gender af - tions available to them and navigating firming surgery. They helped me fill out the bureaucracy surrounding insurance the paperwork and gather the neces - sary information/documents to apply and legally changing one’s name and for insurance that would cover the sur - gery, which I received, and was able to gender marker is a major barrier for trans* have my surgery on May 25th, 2013.” individuals seeking healthcare. Another significant part of our work with trans* patients is helping them One of the best ways to understand the at our facility so that we can easily legally change their names. To many of services APICHA CHC provides is by make referrals as needed. These serv - our patients, changing their legal looking at the success of our patients. ices include laser hair removal and names is a significant gender-affirming During 2013, we met an exceptional compression vests, support groups for gesture, allowing them to present their trans*man named Drew. In under six transitioning individuals, and assisting chosen names on government issued months, Drew began cross-gender hor - patients with understanding and creat - forms of identification such as driver’s mone therapy, legally changed his ing flex spending accounts to manage licenses and passports. Changing our name, found new insurance, underwent the costs of sex reassignment sur - patients’ legal names is an arduous APICHA Community Health Center NEWS • Spring 2014 11 process involving copious paperwork prehensive care removes this barrier. and legal aid, and to help us get Trans* Health To this point, Drew wanted to point out through it, we have created a strong re - Clinic Enrollment the importance of the personal atten - lationship with the Transgender Legal tion he received from APICHA CHC, Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF), and Cecilia’s work in particular, during which on numerous occasions has con - this stage of his transition, “From help - nected us to lawyers who provide ing me change my name to picking out much-needed assistance to our pa - and applying for insurance to referring tients and staff. me to a specific surgeon to even help - ing me network and find a nursing posi - To complement our work around legal tion, Cecilia has been instrumental name changes, we also help trans* pa - changing my name. She informed me during every step of this process for tients change the gender markers (e.g., of an organization called the Transgen - me. She is an invaluable resource to male or female) used on legal docu - der Legal Defense and Education Fund the clients at APICHA CHC and has ments. This is significant to many of our (TLDEF) and specifically referred me to done more for me than I can repay or trans* patients who want cross-gender an attorney there named Noah who I than she is even aware of.” hormone therapy but whose insurance ended up being able to meet with that does not cover it. Insurance companies day. Noah gave me a list of step-by- As the THC continues to grow, it is nec - often provide hormones to patients for step instructions for changing my name essary to look for funding sources to a copayment, given that these hor - and gender marker with the court as hire more patient navigators to assist in mones align with their gender in the well as all of the major agencies (DMV, addressing the needs of our trans* pa - eyes of mainstream medical providers. social security, passport, etc). He also tients. Our funding from the VAP Insurance companies will cover estro - helped me get my information together award caps administrative and support gen given to a woman, for example, to bring to court, including a fee waiver costs, so there continues to be a need should her doctor prescribe it. Trans* application to waive the court fee for for other funding as the volume of our people often depend on hormones for the name change because I wasn’t THC patients continues to increase. overall health and well-being, and not working at the time.” Helping Drew and all of the trans* pa - having them covered by insurance is tients live better lives gives us the moti - costly, especially since therapy can last A lack of knowledge regarding the op - vation to ensure we find those funds. for many years, if not for life. tions available to them and navigating the bureaucracy surrounding insurance Our Trans* Health Clinic more In Drew’s case, APICHA CHC was able and legally changing one’s name and than doubled in size from to help him legally change both his gender marker is a major barrier for name and gender marker, “During one trans* individuals seeking healthcare. 62 patients in 2012 to 163 of my first meetings [with Cecelia] I The process is overwhelming and patients by the end of 2013. asked her about the process of legally APICHA CHC’s commitment to com -

Taking a Pill Once a Day to Prevent HIV Infection

Continued from Page 5 method of HIV prevention” explains the absence of shame and stigma, and pocket using our sliding fee scale Jonathan. Dr. Murayama adds that “in taking appropriate steps to protect our based on the patient’s income. The addition to helping our patients get on health. I think LGBT communities are medication for PrEP is covered by the medication, we provide Hepatitis vacci - ready for those empowered conversa - patient’s health insurance or if the pa - nation, routine STD testing, and can as - tions” exclaims Jonathan. We at tient meets eligibility requirements they sist with behavioral health referrals. We APICHA CHC continue to facilitate can qualify for Gilead’s drug assistance can also assist with enrolling them into those conversations with our patients. program. When people access PrEP at Medicaid or health insurance, depend - To learn more on how you can become our clinic, “they are not merely pre - ing on their eligibility.” a patient, call us at (212) 334-6029. scribed medication and sent on their The growth and sustainability of way. On the contrary, they are access - APICHA CHC includes our adaptive re - ing an effective HIV-prevention tool sponse to effectively meet the health About 1,890 New Yorkers within a structure of ongoing monitoring needs of our community. It is important were screened for HIV within and support. Participation involves reg - that we continue to evolve our preven - our testing program, an in - ular visits with a medical provider and tion framework. “Prevention is now a crease of 13% from last year. with a treatment-adherence counselor matter of being rigorously honest with to ensure the effectiveness of PrEP as a ourselves about how we have sex, in 12 APICHA Community Health Center NEWS • Spring 2014 Refreshing Our Brand to Reflect Who We’ve Become Every step in our evolution brought up new questions. In people living with HIV/AIDS and Asians and Pacific Islanders 2009, when we expanded the services to general primary (APIs), our affinity with the LGBT community, and our current care, we saw the need to refine our mission. The following mission to provide healthcare to all. “There was a lot of think - year, APICHA CHC embarked on a strategic planning ing put into fleshing out the foundational elements of the process that resulted in a name change and a broadened APICHA brand,” explained Nate Riggs. He clarified a com - mission. In view of the expanded target populations defined mon impression about brand: “Most people simply think of a in our new mission and the need to serve the medically un - logo when they think of brand. Logos, colors and the general derserved residents of Lower Manhattan, we needed to un - look and feel are a big part of the organization's brand iden - derstand the health seeking behaviors of those populations. tity, but a brand is really about the set of expectations, sto - ries and relationships that, taken together, account for a To address those concerns, a marketing team composed of consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over staff and consultants was created. The team, co-led by Ding another.” With that note, a logo refresh became top of the Pajaron and Yumiko Fukuda included Development Unit work plan. staff, Clinic, LGBT Program HIV/STI and Community Health Education Managers. Therese R. Rodriguez provided overall oversight and was also active in team activities. We engaged the services of Greg Kaple, president of the consulting firm GAK3 who brought in experts, including Valdis Krebs of Orgnet and Nathan Riggs, of NR Media Group. Their experi - ence in strategic business development, network analysis and content development offers the best combination of ex - pertise we needed to develop a marketing plan that captures Meet our new logo! the work we do. If a picture is worth one thousand words, then trying to hone With its modern look and feel, in and symbolize our true essence with one image was no easy task. There were many steps necessary in order to cre - bold colors and consistent ty - ate an icon that will both detail our transition into a compre - hensive health center as well as portray our founders’ initial pography, our logo will convey mission. As Nate so clearly explains, “APICHA is a highly our mission’s values, create mission-driven organization that is rooted in these very per - sonal and inspiring stories from employees, board members recognition amongst our audi - and clinic patients. We started first by surfacing all that his - tory and the stories, and then used them to define a clear set ence and send an impactful of brand values that speak to the ideal attitudes that APICHA message of our significance in employees have adopted and promote. Once that founda - tion was established, NR Media Group's Creative Director, the community. Jessi See, was able to translate those values visually while also using current design trends and thinking. The consultants’ approach included building staff skills, which is so important given that APICHA CHC does not have With its modern look and feel, bold colors and consistent ty - communications or marketing personnel. The team learned pography, our logo will convey our mission’s values, create about social network analysis, developed survey questions, recognition amongst our audience and send an impactful analyzed the results and assessed our environment. Based message of our significance in the community. By depicting on information gathered, we hammered out our brand values “APICHA” in lowercase, our logo removes its association that will help guide us as we implement the marketing plan. with an acronym. The softer font conveys our commitment to being a caring health center and welcoming space, and the The six-month planning process produced a comprehensive use of the abstract triangle and LGBT equal rights symbol social media strategy. Implementation of the plan is already signify inclusion, dignity and respect for all. The colors create in full swing. Starting with logo refresh, the first phase in - recognition of our traditional red, while serving as a positive volves a new website design and increased social media element that is associated with both the HIV/AIDS movement communication. APICHA CHC’s new logo will be launched and the Asian culture. Even though the logo has a direct at the 24th anniversary event on May 22. message to marginalized communities seeking quality med - ical services, it leaves room for future expansion. We love it Throughout the rebranding process or the refreshing of our and we hope you love it too. brand, we balanced our history and commitment to serving