AUSTIN, Texas — Austin Pride is a time for celebration, but it's also a time for education.
Kind Clinic is one local organization that officers resources for sexual health and education, especially for Austin's LGBTQ community.
Steven Tamayo, the director of community health at Texas Health Action, joined KVUE Daybreak to talk about the work the Kind Clinic does.
Yvonne Nava: Let's talk about what services does the Kind Clinic provide, and can anyone get resources there?
Steven Tamayo: "Kind Clinic is a sexual health clinic that provides free access to HIV prevention medication, called PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis; PEP, which is post-exposure prophylaxis; HIV testing and care; STI testing and treatment; and gender affirming care. And anyone can receive our services even though we specialize in health care for members of the LGBTQIA+ [community]. Anyone can come in."
Nava: Do you have to have insurance to get all of this?
Tamayo: "You do not. We see patients regardless of insurance status, and all of our services are completely free. So, if medication is necessary, our patient advocates do all the behind-the-scenes work to make sure that the medication is the lowest cost to our patients or, in most cases, free."
Nava: I noticed that you all do virtual visits. Are those as effective as in-person visits? How do you do that?
Tamayo: "So, TeleKind is our statewide telemedicine program that provides a lot of the same services that folks receive in-person at Kind Clinic. TeleKind, it allows us to extend our services to rural areas and small towns where there's a major lack of access to the specialized care that we provide. And, you know, sometimes folks might receive stigma or judgment for seeking sexual health services. So being able to see a provider from the comfort in the privacy of their home really makes it easier for a lot of folks to seek services."
Nava: If someone is seeking resources about sex, gender, identity or other health-related things, how does the Kind Clinic go about teaching or providing those resources?
Tamayo: "I would say our website is a wealth of resource for those who are able to access technology. But our staff are also a really great resource, not only using their professional expertise but using their lived experiences as members of the LGBTQIA+ community or in recovery from substance use or living with HIV. They're able to help navigate the health care system for our patients and point them in the right direction for the resources that they need."
Nava: The clinics, where are they located?
Tamayo: "We have two clinics in Austin. One is located at 101 W. Koenig Lane, and the other one is down south off of 2800 I-35."
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