Enhancing Healthcare Access for Transgender Individuals
A recent grant from the Inland Empire Community Foundation through the FitzDell Gifting Fund is set to significantly impact DAP Health’s Partners for Life (PFL) program. This funding will enhance gender and sexuality affirming care offered by DAP Health, particularly benefiting transgender and gender diverse patients in the Palm Springs area.
CEO David Brickman explained the allocation of the grant: ‘We have chosen three unique sites of our 25 locations to ensure that we provide equitable access in our service area to DAP Health’s transgender and gender diverse patients.’ The selected sites include Stonewall Medical Center in Cathedral City, Centro Medico Escondido, and DAP Health on Sunrise Avenue in Palm Springs.
A Longstanding Commitment to Inclusivity
For decades, DAP Health has focused on empowering patients and addressing the health needs of marginalized communities, particularly transgender, intersex, and gender-diverse individuals. The PFL program has been instrumental for over thirty years in ensuring ‘equitable, patient-centered health care’ for thousands of patients each year.
With tiers ranging from bronze to platinum, PFL offers comprehensive services that include behavioral health, addiction services, housing, and career counseling, among others. Brickman emphasized the holistic impact: ‘It all ties into creating a positive impact on the holistic well-being of the community.’
The Origins of DAP Health
Founded 40 years ago during the AIDS crisis by local volunteers, DAP Health initially aimed to provide healthcare access to a primarily gay male population combating HIV. Brickman described the organization’s beginnings, stating, ‘It was founded to ensure that there was equitable access to health care to our initial patient population, which was primarily gay men.’
Through innovation and commitment, DAP Health discovered that factors like housing, nutrition, and mental health play crucial roles in improving health outcomes and advocating for marginalized communities.
Engagement and Community Involvement
Volunteers are considered the ‘lifeblood’ of DAP Health, contributing significantly to its varied programs and services. The organization invites community members to engage and support its initiatives.
For more information about DAP Health, visit daphealth.org.
The Inland Empire Community Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the Southern California region through philanthropy. Learn more at iegives.org.
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