AUSTIN, Texas — A sexual health clinic in Austin is working to make it easier for people to get connected to testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and other health resources.
For the past few years, The Kind Clinic has had a mobile STI testing van that goes out into different communities. But in December, the clinic also opened up a walk-in STI testing site at its location on Koenig Lane. The Kind Clinic tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia and hepatitis C. The clinic is run by the nonprofit Texas Health Action.
Staff at The Kind Clinic say they have definitely seen that there was a need for this type of resource. When the walk-in clinic first opened, they were seeing about 10 people per day, which they thought was a lot at the time. Now the walk-in clinic is seeing about 50 to 70 people per day.
The staff tries to make it a place where people feel comfortable, informed and cared for.
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“I remember the first time I got tested and I was totally freaking out, and I didn't want to know because what if it was bad news?” said Steven Tamayo, the director of community health at The Kind Clinic. “But really, it's the opposite of that. It's taking charge of your health status and finding out the information that you need, so you can make more informed decisions about your body and what you're doing to other people's bodies.”
Tamayo said right now, STI rates are up in Austin. He said this is common after large events and when people go on vacation.
In addition to providing accessible testing, The Kind Clinic is also working to reach underserved communities and to break the stigma surrounding STIs and HIV.
“How can we normalize this conversation where it's like, ‘Gosh, I'm going to get an HIV test or I'm going to get my blood pressure checked?'” said Joe Anderson Jr., the director of community engagement for Texas Health Action. “So, we want to put the onus on ourselves to start that conversation and make sure our spaces are welcoming to everyone. But then also encourage people to talk openly with their friends about normalizing getting tested for HIV and STIs.”
The organization puts a big focus on helping the LGBTQ community and those most at risk for HIV. Austin is consistently in the top five cities in Texas for HIV rates and the virus is even more prevalent in the Black community.
“I went to an event the other day, a branch, and there were people there that have said, 'I've never been tested for HIV and never been tested for any STIs,'” Anderson said. “And [that] is not an indictment on that person. It's a failure of the system itself. You know, it's a failure of, if you do have, you know, a doctor that you go to, are they testing you for this regularly? It's an indictment on us.”
He said these barriers and gaps in the system are why Texas Health Action and The Kind Clinic put extra effort into making sure resources are available and easy to access.
In addition to offering STI testing, they also offer other services including preventative measures for people at risk for HIV and care for those who already have HIV.
The walk-in testing clinic on Koenig Lane is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until noon and 1:30 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. Everyone is welcome to get tested.
For more information on STI testing and treatment, click here.
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