Corktown Health

Innovative collaboration fills health care gap for LGBTQ community in Michigan

Wayne State University and the Wayne State University Physician Group are pleased to announce an agreement with Health Emergency Lifeline Programs to collaborate with Corktown Health Center. This new affiliation will bring increased capacity, scale and resources to CHC’s operations.

The Corktown Health Center is Michigan’s first nonprofit medical home dedicated to serving adult LGBTQ patients and their families. The goal of this affiliation is to:

  • Design and deliver medical services that address the health needs of LGBTQ persons in the Detroit area, including our students, trainees, faculty and staff.
  • Pioneer treatments and care for transgender persons.
  • Develop and implement programing designed to mitigate health disparities in the LGBTQ community.
  • Establish education and clinical training for medical students, residents and other health care providers to deliver equitable, effective and patient-centered care for LGBTQ patients.

“This important association will leverage the unique strengths of each organization,” said Teresa Roscoe, chief operating officer of HELP/CHC. “It is an opportunity to harness these critical resources to serve the LGBTQ community in a way that’s never been done before.”

Latonya Riddle-Jones, M.D., medical director, said, “Our ultimate goal is to inclusively improve the overall health and well-being of all members of our society, and this collaboration finally allows us to work with the patients and community in a fully integrated, interdisciplinary team to nurture body, mind and spirit.”

Diane Levine, M.D., vice chair of Education for the Department of Internal Medicine at Wayne State University, said, “Our goal is not only to develop best practices, but to ensure we train the next generation of physicians to provide outstanding care to LGBT persons and their allies to decrease health disparities in Michigan and across the country.”

The clinic is in a newly-renovated 24,000-square-foot facility in Detroit’s historic Corktown neighborhood. CHC will initially provide primary care, integrated behavior health services, comprehensive HIV care and treatment, health insurance navigation and enrollment, and pharmacy services. In close collaboration with community members, CHC will consistently evolve and expand its programs and services.

About the stakeholders:

Wayne State University is a premier urban research institution of higher education offering nearly 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to more than 27,000 students. For more information, visit wayne.edu.

Wayne State University Physician Group is a tax-exempt nonprofit formed to support the educational, scientific and charitable purposes of the Wayne State University School of Medicine by conducting programs and providing clinical services to patients.

Health Emergency Lifeline Programs is a Michigan-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that empowers members of the community to manage their health needs. Through innovative programs and services, HELP ensures individuals have access to resources that promote healthy, productive lives. A subsidiary of HELP, Corktown Health Center is a primary care provider offering comprehensive, compassionate care to the LGBTQ community in a culturally-affirming environment. CHC seeks to eliminate longstanding health disparities and promote equitable access to high-quality health care services.

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