By John Hayden
As times change, communities grow and migrate. Miami Beach once used to be the unrivaled center of LatinX LGBTQIA+ life. These days more and more of the community are moving inland, and Latinos Salud is no exception. They just opened their newest location in North Miami. At 3,700 square feet spread out over two eye-pleasing, mid-century modern buildings, they will be able to serve the area’s rapidly expanding number of clients.
Located just five minutes from I-95, this is designed to be a convenience for people who are no longer close to the old facilities in Miami Beach.
“Many of our clients and patients work multiple jobs, or attend school while working full-time,” Executive Director Dr. Stephen Fallon tells OutClique. “Many live in multi-generational households that share a single car. They can’t afford the time to take a bus long distances. Too many also postpone needed screenings or care because they can’t afford to take time off from work. That’s why this location, like all of Latinos Salud’s locations, stays open later than any other HIV agency in Florida, to 9:00PM nightly.”
The location increases accessibility for people living in places like Morningside, Aventura, Miami Gardens, and Miami Shores. The Miami Beach facility is still open, as is Latinos Salud’s Westchester space, which serves residents in Miami’s southwest corridor.
The new digs will be user friendly for not only clients, but staff as well. Unlike the clinic in Miami Beach, Latinos Salud has more control over redesigning and renovating the space.
“We’ve spent the past couple of months giving the space a major facelift,” Fallon says. “We kept the classic design, but brightened everything. Just as in each of our locations, we’ve filled the walls with colorful photos of our members and staff from Pride events, marches, and rallies. These photos create a welcoming environment for everyone coming in our doors.”
One building has the reception area, a large event or group room, a conference room, and a couple of offices. The connected building has plenty of clinical and testing rooms, staff offices, and another small meeting area.
While Latinos Salud targets its outreach to underserved gay Latinos, Fallon stresses that their services are available to everyone.
“Investing in facilities that are closer and more convenient does not just protect the health of gay Latinos, but also protects the entire community,” he says “Nearly two-thirds of Miami-Dade county’s residents are Latino. Miami-Dade county has the highest rates of new HIV cases in the U.S., and the highest number of new HIV cases within Miami-Dade are among gay Latinos.”
And when they go into the new clinic, they’ll feel right at home. North Miami’s services will include HIV testing, STD screening and treatment, case management, getting patients set up with PrEP, vaccinations and more. One noticeable convenience is parking. The new location has ten dedicated parking spots, and most nearby street parking is free.
This is the latest major event for Latinos Salud. They recently moved to a new building in Wilton Manors. Dr. Fallon says community outreach will continue to grow and offer new services.
“Our Health and Culture program basically offers outreach through fun and friends,” he explains. “We launched the program from our Miami Beach location. Members have participated in yoga classes and dance lessons, attended plays and concerts, and game and movie nights. Since the Miami location alone cannot reach everyone, we’ll also be staging events at and from the new North Miami location.”
For those living in areas like Miami Gardens, Miami Shores, Morningside, or even Aventura, this new location will be a closer choice than either the Wilton Manors or Miami Beach locations. The Westchester location will remain open to residents in Miami’s SW corridor.
To learn more about the new facility and all their services, visit LatinosSalud.org.
