SPOTLIGHT ON HISTORY: CHASE BREXTON HEALTH CARE
Chase Brexton Health Care, founded as a program of the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of Baltimore in 1978, originated as a volunteer-run sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening clinic serving gay men in the city’s Mt. Vernon neighborhood.[1] In the early 1980s, as one of the first clinics responding to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Chase Brexton established itself as an essential community lifeline for all those infected and affected by HIV.[2] Its Wall of Courage, created at the height of the epidemic, remains the only memorial in Baltimore devoted to HIV/AIDS.
While retaining its strong bonds to the local LGBTQ community, the health center became independent in 1989 and moved to a new location, taking the name “Chase Brexton” to acknowledge its original home at the intersection of Chase and Brexton Streets. Recognizing that the families and loved ones of those they served also needed access to care, the center expanded in services and scope, adding behavioral health and case management in 1991, and full-scale primary care services in 1995. The health center moved to a second location in 1999, and that year, was also designated a Federally Qualified Health Center.
Today Chase Brexton serves people from all walks of life at its flagship location in Mt. Vernon and several locations in central Maryland, providing comprehensive primary care, behavioral health, dental, and substance use disorder treatment, as well as laboratory, pharmacy and supportive services. Services addressing the diverse needs of the LGBTQ community including HIV-targeted case management and gender affirming care [3] remain central. The LGBT Health Resource Center was established in 2015 to offer specialized support groups, behavioral health services, and expert education and training to other organizations seeking greater LGBT competency. The Resource Center has since expanded, and as The Center for LGBTQ Health Equity, focuses on tackling health disparities faced by LGBTQ+ communities.[4] In 2023, with a grant from the CDC, Chase Brexton established a new clinic dedicated to diagnosing and treating STIs, taking the center back to its roots.[5] And beginning in 2024, the health center launched a new nurse practitioner fellowship program to help fellows transition to their role as independent primary care practitioners[6] and gain specialty training in gender affirming care ad LGBTQ+ medicine.
Chase Brexton has been named a “Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality” by the Human Rights Campaign.[7] The health center continues its longstanding commitment to equity through its dedication to serving the LGBTQ+ and broader communities, Institute for Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion,[8] and clinican training. Providing care that honors, affirms, and supports each patient is at the core of this health center’s work.
[1] Oloizia, R. (2016). Chase Brexton Health Care. Accessed March 8, 2024 at https://explore.baltimoreheritage.org/items/show/556#:~:text=The%20clinic%20operated%20as%20program,expanding%20its%20health%20care%20services.
[2] Chronicling the Community Health Center Story (2022). Chase Brexton Health Care. https://www.rchnfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/RCHN-CHC-Book-9x11-Final4web-spreads2.pdf
[3] Chase Brexton (n.d.). Chase Brexton has a long history supporting the HIV/AIDS community. Accessed March 8, 2024 at https://chasebrexton.org/about-chase-brexton
[4] Chase Brexton (n.d.). About Us. Accessed March 8, 2024 at https://chasebrexton.org/services/center-lgbtq-health-equity/about-us
[5] Chase Brexton (2023). Accessed March 8, 2024 at https://chasebrexton.org/blog/chase-brexton-launch-sti-clinic-mt-vernon-center-cdc-grant-support.
[6] Chase Brexton (2023). Chase Brexton to Launch Nurse Practitioner Fellowship Program. Accessed March 8, 2024 at https://chasebrexton.org/blog/chase-brexton-launch-nurse-practitioner-fellowship-program.
[7] Chase Brexton (2017). Chase Brexton Health Care Named “Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality” by
Human Rights Camp. Accessed March 8, 2024 at https://www.chcchronicles.org/sites/default/files/4-3%20HEI%20Designation.pdf.
[8] Chase Brexton (n.d.). Welcome to The Institute for Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (EDI) at Chase Brexton Health Care! Accessed March 8, 2024 at https://chasebrexton.org/institute-edi.
