Howard Brown Health and Project Vida Announce Partnership to Expand COVID-19 Services in the Little Village Neighborhood
(Chicago, IL, April 16, 2020) – Howard Brown Health and Project Vida today announced a partnership to provide expanded medical services in Chicago’s Little Village community, offering free, confidential risk assessments for COVID-19 disease. The partnership will strive to meet the unique needs of the Latinx community without regard to income, immigration, or insurance status. Bilingual staff will be available to assist Spanish speakers.
“While staying home is the best way to keep our families and loved ones safe, Howard Brown’s and Project Vida’s collaboration will expand local options for caregivers, essential workers, and others with flu-like symptoms that could be indicative COVID-19 disease,” said David Ernesto Munar, President and CEO of Howard Brown Health. “A new partnership with Project Vida expands our ability to provide care and guidance to Latinx communities on Chicago’s Southwest Side, who need increased assessment and screening. Local and state statistics may likely under-represent the pandemic’s impact on Latinx people, something this collaboration will aim to address.”
WHO: Howard Brown Health and Project Vida
WHAT: “Community Care Station” installed next to Project Vida to offer free COVID-19 risk assessments and medical evaluations
WHERE: 2659 S. Kedvale Ave., Chicago, IL, 60623
WHEN: Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Saturday 10 am. – 3 p.m.
“It is our mission and responsibility to holistically address the needs of our community which is particularly vulnerable to this pandemic due to pre-existing medical conditions, immigration status, lack of insurance, availability of critical social support resources, and fear of accessing such services,” said Jerome Montgomery, Project Vida Executive Director. “As a longtime pillar for public health in the community, Project Vida is proud to collaborate with Howard Brown Health to ensure local residents gain access to the information, screening, and diagnostic testing needed to respond to the COVID-19 viral pandemic.”
The new partnership augments both organizations’ commitment to provide services to underserved populations during the COVID-19 response. Project Vida continues to offer food pantry services, housing assistance, employment assistance, HIV/STI testing, HIV case management, behavioral health counseling, and psychosocial support. Howard Brown’s 11 community health centers across Chicago offer patients a full spectrum of primary care, behavioral health, dental, research, and social services. In response to the pandemic, Howard Brown has established a COVID-19 hotline for patients concerned about their symptoms, telehealth visits medical and behavioral health care, and Community Care Stations for enhance COVID-19 risk assessments and screening at its clinic location in the Englewood, Hyde Park, Lakeview, Rogers Park, and Uptown neighborhoods.
All services at the Community Care Station are offered regardless of a person’s ability to pay, and are available to people regardless of their immigration status.
Staying home, especially if you are experiencing mild or moderate flu-like symptoms, is the most effective intervention to slow the spread of COVID-19. Anyone concerned about symptoms or possible exposure to COVID-19 may call Howard Brown’s nurse triage line at 773.388.1600 to speak with a medical professional. Learn more about safety, risk, and resources related to COVID-19 at howardbrown.org/coronavirus-faq.
Howard Brown Health exists to eliminate the disparities in healthcare experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people through research, education and the provision of services that promote health and wellness. Howard Brown is the largest LGBTQ organization in the Midwest, providing primary and specialty healthcare, social services, and infectious disease screenings to more than 35,000 people each year. In response to the pandemic, Howard Brown has limited services to 8 of its 11 clinic locations and launched telephone and video options for patients to access care via telehealth. Learn more at howardbrown.org.
Project Vida is a community-based organization providing Latinx and African Americans health education, risk reduction and disease screenings, food and nutrition assistance, case management and medical-psychosocial coordination, including behavioral health, substance use disorder counseling, psychosocial support groups, and therapeutic services, massage, physiotherapy-acupuncture, and psychotherapy for over 27 years. Project Vida’s mission is “to improve quality of life and reduce health disparities in underserved communities by promoting self-empowerment and providing holistic health education and direct services.”
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Media Inquiries:
Christopher Ávalos, Project Vida Media Coordinator
773.326.5971, cavalos@projectvida.org
Erik Roldan, Director of Communications and Marketing
mediainquiries@howardbrown.org