The Community Behind Latinos Salud’s Phenomenal Growth
By Megan Fitzgerald, PhD
Six years ago, Latinos Salud made the leap. For more than a decade, the non-profit agency had been making slow but steady growth. But their efforts were only as good as their weakest link: referrals. Dr. Stephen Fallon and Rafaelé Narváez had originally founded the agency to provide prevention education, outreach and testing; it did not have any clinical services.
“We had to refer clients out if they wanted to get treated for STDs, or get PrEP, or get HIV treatment,” said Narváez. “Too often, our clients would come back saying that the clinic we had sent them to shamed them for needing STD treatment.”
Fallon added, “We’d have clinics come in saying, ‘We love what you do here. Send us your clients, and we’ll put them at the front of the line. No wait, no office charge, no lab fees.’ So, we’d send them, and everything would be great—at first. Then the honeymoon would end and they’d start requiring our clients to make their PrEP or HIV care appointments months in advance, and those clinics also started to charge co-pays and lab fees, which some couldn’t afford.”
For Fallon, a renowned healthcare systems expert who previously headed up HRSA’s national Ryan White HIV assistance center, these stories of barriers to care were the breaking point. “Each year, we had a handful of patients seroconvert (acquire HIV) during the weeks they were waiting for their PrEP appointment to stay safe from HIV in the first place. And others fell out of their HIV care, because they couldn’t miss an entire day of work after taking two buses to an appointment that started 90 minutes or even two hours late.”
In 2020, Latinos Salud took the bold step of opening their own Wellness Clinics, initially offering only PrEP and STD treatment. COVID hit the same year, and the agency became swamped with patients who had nowhere else to go. Latinos Salud was the only HIV/STD clinic in South Florida that remained entirely (and safely) open for both appointments and walk-in services.
Fallon and Narváez expected that once the worst of the COVID shutdowns ended, many patients would return to their previous providers. Instead, they kept coming, and began referring their friends. Lots of them: 25,000 last year.
High foot traffic meant that their clinics needed more space, so Latinos Salud invested. They tripled the size of their Wilton Manors location, added a new location in North Miami, and opened a much larger Miami SW community clinic / event space. More than just having additional rooms for counseling, testing, and care, each of these spaces is a marvel: bright, clean, modern.
What goes on inside their doors stands out, too. Latinos Salud earns the highest ratings of any LGBT clinic in South Florida, and it’s not hard to see why: they make it easy to access appointments; they waive co-pays, and their clinics stay open later than any HIV/STD agency or clinic in the state, to 9 PM daily.
OutClique spoke with key staff members in each location, and found the “secret sauce” behind Latinos Salud’s phenomenal growth and the accolades the clinic earns: dedication grounded in shared experiences.
Johnathan Medina has worked at Latinos Salud since it won its first CDC grant in 2010, rising up through every position to become the agency’s senior Health Program Manager. “Some of my proudest moments come from seeing our clients truly connect through our programs, especially when they participate in our social events and express the joy of finding a sense of belonging and community,” Medina said.
“One client’s story has always stayed with me, someone who came to Latinos Salud feeling completely isolated. He shared that he did not feel accepted by his own family and struggled with finding a place where he could truly be himself. Through the support, services, and community we provide, he began to feel welcomed and understood. Over time, Latinos Salud became more than just a resource for him—it became a home and a chosen family.” In the end, this client decided to “pay it forward” by becoming a staff member, a journey that many other staff also took.
In addition to spirit and compassion, it takes a systems-level approach for an agency as large as Latinos Salud has become to facilitate high volume services. Having just reached his 10 year anniversary with the agency, Orlando Sosa, MHSA, serves as Latinos Salud’s Evaluation & Wellness Operations Manager, from its Wilton Manors location. “Latinos Salud is in a continuous state of evolution, and that has allowed us to stay ahead in both technology and community services. Every new implementation, protocol update, or operational change is a challenge, but I consistently see my team ready to learn, adopt new processes quickly, and support one another to stay aligned.”
Kevin Vargas started as a front-line outreach worker at Latinos Salud’s Miami Beach location seven years ago. He now serves as the Miami Beach Program Coordinator, while also still personally providing services. “One client that left a lasting impression on me was a 19-year-old young man who came to the office with his mother for an HIV test. He appeared very thin, tired, and had spots on his skin. The rapid test result was positive, and he admitted he had delayed testing out of fear. We guided him, provided the information he needed, and helped him access HIV treatment right here in our clinic. Today, he is healthy, a strong support for his mother, and very grateful to Latinos Salud.”
Roman Flores, the Miami SW PrEP Coordinator, also sees the impact of his works daily: “A student from FIU (he couldn’t have been older than 18-20 years old) came in for HIV and STD testing. He tested positive for Gonorrhea. After he received treatment, I sat down with him to talk because he had a distraught look on his face. He stated that he was so thankful for what we do here and how discreet we are; he said that he still lived at home and that his parents force him to keep his phone on him always so that they can see his location at any time. He said that he had left his phone with one of his friends so that his parents wouldn’t find out that he was being treated at a clinic, and then he immediately burst into tears. I told him that I was proud of him; he had chosen his health over anything else in his life. After he left, I felt a great sense of pride that I work in a space that provides services to our community members through judgement-free practices in a world that still holds stigma against sex and sees it as a taboo topic.”
Juan Buch heads up the North Miami location. Like many of the agency’s staff, he knows first-hand the stress that healthcare concerns can raise: “I remember when I lived in Puerto Rico and was no longer covered under my parents’ insurance, and my employer did not offer health insurance. I always felt fear when going to the public health office to apply for or renew coverage, worried that I would be told I did not qualify. Here (at Latinos Salud), that barrier does not exist.”
Jiovanny Gomez, the SW Wellness and Navigation Coordinator, says the clinic is a safe space: “I often think of the Miami SW location as an oasis in the desert. We are miles away from the nearest LGBTQ+ community, yet within our walls, one has been built. From the moment someone walks through our doors, they are met with warmth, respect, and zero judgment. Many community members arrive feeling anxious or nervous, and leave feeling seen, affirmed, and dignified. That sense of safety and belonging is intentional—it’s what keeps Latinos Salud rooted in community and ensures our space feels like a home, not just a clinic.”
This month, Latinos Salud is opening its newest location upgrade. After a dozen years working from a tiny Miami Beach rental space, Latinos Salud is unveiling a two-story, community clinic and event space with three times as many testing rooms, and a larger provider suite. The space even features a lush tropical courtyard with a reflecting pool.
Vargas promises “Our new location is an exciting step forward. It offers a much larger, more comfortable, and easily accessible space, allowing us to continue to expand our services more efficiently.” Medina adds “Community members can expect the same trusted, culturally responsive care and support Latinos Salud is known for, along with new opportunities for enhanced health services, prevention education, and community engagement in a space built for the future.”
