Health Emergency Lifeline Programs (HELP) and its Corktown Health Center announced Wednesday that the two agencies were merging for marketing purposes and that henceforth they would be known as one sole organization to be called Corktown Health. HELP was started some 35 years ago as a pioneering AIDS service organization focused on meeting urgent financial and end-of-life needs for individuals with HIV/AIDS. HELP launched the Corktown Health Center, a first of its kind health clinic focused on providing services to the HIV/AIDS and LGBTQ+ community, in 2017.
"Rebranding our organization to Corktown Health brings all of our services under a single umbrella encompassing what we do today and what we will do tomorrow for our patients and community," said Corktown Health President and CEO Anthony Williams. "It's an exciting time for our entire team as Corktown Health reflects the ongoing growth and evolution of the organization."
A new, distinctive and modern logo has been unveiled as part of the rebranding effort, representing the organization's forward-thinking approach to improving health care for the community. The graphic features concentric circles that symbolize diverse individuals working, living and thriving in harmony. The rebrand to Corktown Health also features a new Corktown Health website, social media presence, and plans for additional health and wellness services in upcoming months.
There will also be new services added that Corktown Health Center didn't previously offer, such as a dental clinic.
"That's an entirely new service that we will present to HIV-positive and LGBTQ people and allies," Williams said. "All of the values that are a part of HELP and Corktown Health Center will be a part of the dental clinic. So it's providing care for people who are HIV positive and we are able to leverage all of our knowledge and our relationship with patients' needs in terms of that population.
"We'll be able to do the same for the LGBTQ community," Williams continued. "And allies will benefit from the affirming and supporting environment that is part of the DNA of HELP and Corktown Health Center, which is now Corktown Health."
Another new service coming to Corktown Health is the Corktown Health Institute, which will debut in the fall. The institute will provide expanded education and training to health care providers, organizations and municipalities, equipping them with the tools, resources and insight to effectively and compassionately treat all patients in an affirming and inclusive manner.
"The opening of Corktown Health Center in 2017 was a first step in a much broader mission for the organization," said Corktown Health Chief Operating Officer Teresa Roscoe. "As we expanded our focus to health care delivery, we also identified the need to contribute to the training and education of the current and future healthcare workforce. We established a collaborative relationship with the Wayne State University School of Medicine and serve as a community rotation site for physician residents and medical students. Through this relationship and other training partnerships, we are helping to better prepare new generations of professionals to provide compassionate care and address the diverse needs of LGBTQ patients."
For more information, visit corktownhealth.org.
