Nashville CARES in the Spotlight

Gilead COMPASS Initiative^® partner, Nashville CARES, has opened “My House Clinic”*- a center designed to be a “one-stop center” providing needed services for the state of Tennessee. The clinic is designed to be inclusive and support the needs of all citizens of the greater Nashville area, and opened on September 1, 2020. Nashville CARES is an AIDS Service Organization in Nashville, Tennessee and is one of the oldest in the South serving 17 counties in Middle Tennessee for 35 years. Nashville CARES is a partner of the Emory COMPASS Coordinating Center, and has been awarded a Transformative Grant & a Capacity Building Grant to support infrastructure development centering around diversity and inclusion.

The My House Clinic* supports people navigating the full continuum of care under one roof. This “one-stop center” whole-person care approach provides comprehensive services to all and is delivered with dignity and respect. Culturally competent care by trained professionals will provide an experience that focuses on each individual and provides client-centered, trauma-informed healthcare.

“The opening of the My House Clinic is an exciting time for Nashville CARES as we celebrate 35 years of service in the Middle Tennessee community,” says Amna Osman, CEO of Nashville CARES. “This ‘one-stop center’ provides patients a unique experience to navigate services by culturally competent practitioners, alleviating barriers to care and promoting positive health outcomes in an inclusive and affirming environment.”

The My House Clinic will provide confidential testing, counseling services, and other comprehensive services for individuals at high-risk for exposure to HIV. The clinic will also provide primary care, other chronic disease testing, and prevention with a focus on STIs, including HCV and HIV. The clinic will also offer COVID-19 testing.

Dr. Christopher Ott, Chief Medical Officer for HCA Healthcare’s Physician Services Group and Board Chair for Nashville CARES adds, “My House is creating access to culturally competent primary and HIV care for the LGBTQ+ community and the community at large, at a time when Nashville certainly needs this expanded access.”

Nashville CARES will now be able to serve more people in more areas. They are increasing their capacity.

* ^{Funding from the Gilead COMPASS Initiative® was not related to the development of the clinic.}