Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force Opens Medical Clinic Following Extensive Renovation of East Liberty Facility 

Pittsburgh AIDS Task Force (PATF), southwest Pennsylvania's oldest and largest HIV/AIDS service organization, is pleased to announce the�opening of a medical clinic, following the completion of a $1 million renovation of its East Liberty facility.

Combined with PATF's existing vital social services, the clinic ushers in PATF's�new model of comprehensive, coordinated and integrated care for HIV/AIDS clients. The extensive office renovation also includes an�expanded pharmacy program, enlarged food pantry, new HIV/STI testing center and space to add onsite behavioral health care.

"There's a lot of services that are needed today that wasn't the case 20 or 30 years ago, and it's good to see [PATF] keeping the pace with [these changes]," said Congressman Doyle. "It's great we live in a community that works together and that cares about the people that live there."

In addition to specialized HIV/AIDS medical care, the new clinical program will provide routine medical care for clients and client family members, as well as sexual health care for the community, regardless of HIV status. The clinic is led by Sarah McBeth, MD, MPH.

The opening of the medical clinic was celebrated at a ribbon cutting ceremony with a greeting from Governor Tom Wolf; remarks from PATF Board President Brian Balonick, Mayor Bill Peduto and Congressman Mike Doyle; and the reading of a quote from PATF Founding Director Kerry Stoner by current PATF CEO Sean DeYoung.

"What was so important about having groups like PATF [at the start of the epidemic], was not simply treating the disease, but treating the stigma," said Mayor Peduto. "And now, this organization is still here and it serves a much larger community... We're able to recognize where it's increasing -- our African American community and our transgender community -- and we're able to get those people the help they need and the dignity and the respect they deserve."

New Clinic Services

Though treatment for HIV has drastically improved since the introduction of antiretroviral medication in the 1990s, many new medical challenges have arisen as those with HIV age. Over a third of HIV-positive individuals that PATF serves are now 55 or older and many have lived with the infection for decades. HIV-positive individuals may have long-term health complications from the virus or from treatment and are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease, lung disease, certain cancers and liver disease, among other conditions.�Not only will the clinic provide specialized HIV/AIDS medical care, but the physician will also be able to act as a primary care provider for clients and attend to a myriad of other medical needs.
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The clinic will also provide services to those who are HIV-negative, including an�onsite phlebotomist for confirmatory HIV and STI testing, as well as onsite treatment for sexually transmitted infections. A key feature of the new medical capabilities is a�Pre- Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Clinic.

A powerful new tool in preventing the spread of HIV, PrEP entails taking the medication Truvada -- long used to treat HIV -- and is over 90 percent effective at preventing HIV infection. Though any doctor can prescribe PrEP, PATF's medical team processes an in-depth knowledge and experience with the medication and will provide a stigma-free environment for patients to discuss HIV risk behaviors openly and honestly.