The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center, with more than 260 employees and 3,000 volunteers,
is the world's largest gay and lesbian organization. One of the nation's leading
HIV/AIDS care providers and equal rights advocates, it's home to an array of free
or low cost health, legal, employment, educational, cultural and social programs
that welcome over 15,000 client visits from ethnically diverse youth and adults each month.
When Ron and Shelli Goodman's son Jeffrey was diagnosed with HIV, they found themselves
dealing with a situation that many parents have faced for almost two decades, and many
others will face until a cure for AIDS is found. But, as difficult as it was for the
Goodmans to face the illness that would take their son's life, they were confident they
had the means to provide Jeffrey with everything that love, excellent medical care and
state-of-the-art medical equipment could offer. As they met Jeffrey's friends, many
facing the same illness, they found some who were not so fortunate.
So, at Jeffrey's urging, the Goodmans took on a new mission. They decided to raise
the funds to enable the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center to build a brand new, 11,000 square-foot
early intervention HIV clinic which included an anonymous test site and sexually transmitted
disease clinic. And, with support from friends and family, the Jeffrey Goodman Special
Care Clinic opened its doors in June, 1993. Jeffrey died a few months before the opening,
but not before he knew his dream would be realized.
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In 1995, thanks in part to revenues from California AIDS Ride Presented by Tanqueray,
the Gay & Lesbian Center expanded the Goodman Clinic to offer the full range of primary
and specialty HIV medical care, all at low or no cost. Within a year, further expansion
occurred with the opening of the Pedro Zamora Youth HIV Clinic, specifically designed
to offer the growing number of HIV-infected young people a welcoming environment.
At least two-thirds of all new HIV infections reported in L.A. County are among gay or bisexual men.
The Gay & Lesbian Center's HIV/AIDS services were created to offer high quality, free or low-cost
medical care to this disproportionaltely affected population. In addition to free HIV testing
and traditional medial care, the Gay & Lesbian Center offeres chiropractic care, massage therapy,
acupuncture, counseling and support services providing one of the most comprehensive "one-stop"
systems for HIV/AIDS care in Southern California.
In September 1998, the Gay & Lesbian Center expanded its health care facilities with the opening
of Lambda Medical Group, a state-of-the-art facility in the Miracle Mile district of Los Angeles.
Lambda Medical Group offers high quality primary and preventive health care by physicians who
specialize in the health care needs of lesbian and gay people. It serves the privately insured,
those accessing Medicare of Medi-Cal, and offers free or low-cost care to those who otherwise
can't afford it. The first medical facility of its kind, Lambda Medical Group offers health care
in a unique environment designed to ensure comfort and confidentiality for everyone, regardless
of sexual orientation.
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Caring for the mind as well as the body, the Gay & Lesbian Center offers free or no cost counseling
to people with HIV/AIDS. Counseling also is offered on issues such as coming out, relationships
and drug and alcohol addiction. Programs include crisis intervention, a variety of support and
recovery groups, a crystal methamphetamine outreach and treatment program and individual, couples
and group therapy.
The Gay & Lesbian Center also operates a full-scale pharmacy which offers express delivery
of HIV/AIDS medications and pharmaceutical counseling to Gay & Lesbian Center patients and those
of 18 other affiliated AIDS service organizations.
L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center
1625 N. Schrader Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90028
General Info: 323.993.7400
TDD: 323.993.7698
www.laglc.org
Other HIV/AIDS Services
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