Y-Hep to Open New Clinic in Philly

Y-HEP, Philadelphia FIGHT's Youth Health Empowerment Project, announced the opening of a new family care clinic for youth at its facility at 1417 Locust Street in Center City.

"Our goal is making our patients feel comfortable and knowledgeable about addressing their healthcare needs as well as empowering them to make healthier lifestyle choices," said Bernetich.

Supported by the extensive medical, case management and social services of Philadelphia FIGHT, the primary care clinic is supervised by Meghan Bernetich, MSN, a certified pediatric nurse practitioner specializing in providing comprehensive healthcare services to adolescents and young adults.

Y-HEP is a safe non-judgmental space where the city's hardest-to-reach youth and young adults can access free treatment and prevention services, participate in peer-led workshops and recreational activities, take showers, get food, clothing, mental health counseling and support.

Y-HEP's Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) program, which helps high-risk populations including young men who have sex with men (MSM) prevent HIV, was the first program of its kind in Philadelphia. More than 40 young men are currently participating in PrEP at Y-HEP, which launched early last year.

Helen Koenig, MD, MPH, from FIGHT's Jonathan Lax Treatment Center, oversees the PrEP program at Y-HEP. Dr. Koenig notes that in the major clinical trials looking at PrEP, for participants who comply to their prescribed medication regimen, PrEP has proven to be between 72 and 94 percent effective in preventing HIV infection in different populations.

Marcus Berry, a Y-HEP PrEP participant from the start of the program, says that being on PrEP has been invaluable to his health and well-being.

"It's worth your life," said Berry. "It's worth you not having to wake up every morning and taking pills for the rest of your life. If you are on PrEP, it's saving your life."

Philadelphia FIGHT is a comprehensive AIDS service organization providing state-of-the art, culturally competent primary care to low income members of the community, HIV specialty care, consumer education, advocacy, social services, and outreach to people living with HIV and those who are at high risk, including family members, communities with high rates of HIV, formerly incarcerated persons, and young people at risk, along with access to the most advanced clinical research in HIV treatment and prevention.

"Our goal and hope is to end the AIDS epidemic within the lifetime of those currently living with HIV," said organizers.