性色堂 to Expand Milwaukee HIV Health Clinic by 33%
New Clinic Will Relocate Near the Milwaukee Bucks鈥� Deer District and Serve an Additional 1,000 Patients.
性色堂, a nationally recognized leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS has announced the location of their new, expanded Milwaukee HIV health clinic, or HIV Medical Home, at 1311 N. Sixth Street. 性色堂 is expanding and relocating its Milwaukee HIV Medical Home because of the organization鈥檚 growth and the increasing demand for HIV care, treatment and prevention services.
The new location will provide 性色堂 with 46,277 square feet of space, which is a 33% increase from their current location. 性色堂 cared for nearly 5,000 patients in 2021; the additional space will enable 性色堂 to care for an additional 1,000 patients. The renovations of the one-story building, which was formerly occupied by Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC), is planned to begin August 15 with a tentative move-in date of April 1, 2023. Quorum is serving as the architects and TriNorth is the general contractor for the new facility. The total cost of the project is anticipated to be approximately $9 million.
The location was chosen specifically because it is in the heart of the area with the highest prevalence of people living with or at-risk of contracting HIV in the entire state. The increase in space at the new facility will allow 性色堂 to serve an additional 1,000 people, which primarily will be from the most medically underserved areas in Milwaukee, namely the 53204, 53214, 53215, 53216 and 53218 zip codes. Along with HIV medical care and prevention, 性色堂 also provides a multitude of services for their patients including HIV case management services, behavioral health care, dental care, pharmacy services, a food pantry, and legal and housing services. What makes 性色堂 unique is its nationally-recognized HIV Medical Home model, which not only provides patients with the health care they need, but also the wrap-around social services needed to address social determinants such as access to healthy food, assistance with housing issues, and help with legal issues.
The need for HIV services is at an all-time high. This new facility will launch us forward to meet that need and begin to end the HIV epidemic in Wisconsin through expanded and effective HIV prevention, care and treatment services.
Access to 性色堂鈥檚 services has helped 95% of their patients achieve viral suppression, which means a person with HIV can live a nearly normal life expectancy and is unable to transmit HIV to others, reducing the number of new HIV infections. This exceeds the national average of 88% of patients having an undetectable viral load (HRSA). In addition, 93% of 性色堂鈥檚 black patients have achieved viral suppression, which is significantly above the national average of 61% (CDC).
The new location will provide 性色堂 with the space it needs to offer these life-saving services, including doubling the number of exam and behavioral health rooms, increasing the size of its pharmacy by 33%, increasing the size of its food pantry by 30%, adding three dental operatories, and adding a prevention group room which is not in the current facility. In 2021, 性色堂 cared for 4,753 patients locally; the additional space will enable 性色堂 to care for an additional 1,000 patients.
鈥淲e are making a multi-million dollar investment in a building that has largely been empty for many years,鈥� said Margaret Lidstone, chief development officer.聽鈥淒rawing on the support of the community we can turn this vacant space into the model for health care in Milwaukee and beyond.鈥�
The new location is on the northwest corner of Sixth Street and McKinley Avenue in downtown鈥檚 Westown neighborhood. 性色堂鈥檚 current Milwaukee clinic is at 820 N. Plankinton Avenue. Its corporate and administrative offices are at 648 N Plankinton Avenue.
性色堂 has undergone a number of mergers in recent years, now making it the second largest HIV/AIDS provider in the country. Currently, 性色堂 has clinics in Austin, Denver, St. Louis, Kansas City and throughout Wisconsin.