LA Gay & Lesbian Center has begun construction that will expand its medical facilities in Hollywood

In order to meet the demand for its medical services, the LA Gay & Lesbian Center has begin work on the expansion of the third floor of its McDonald/Wright headquarters building in Hollywood which includes the Jeffrey Goodman Special Care Clinic.

When renovations of the Goodman Clinic and medical facilities are finished, the Center will have added four exam rooms, enlarged the waiting room and added space for additional staff, allowing for thousands of additional medical visits each year.

“More people than ever before are turning to us in need—and we don’t want to turn away a single person in need,” says Christopher Brown, Director of Health and Mental Health Services at the Center. “There will be some short-term inconveniences now, but we’ll be providing the same high-quality care as always. And in the long run, these changes will mean we can do even more to care for the health and well-being of the community.”

While construction is taking place, the reception area for the Goodman Clinic and medical services, including HIV/STD testing, will be temporarily relocated from the third to the first floor.

This means HIV/STD testing capacity will be reduced, so the Center is encouraging people to schedule a free appointment or make a walk-in visit to The Spot in West Hollywood which is near the public library. The Spot has extended its hours and has additional staff to meet the demand.

The Center is one of the few organizations that offers a free advanced test for HIV that can detect infection as early as seven days after infection. Both Center facilities also offer free screenings for the most common STDs, including gonorrhea, chlamydia and syphilis. Those who test positive for any of the infections can be quickly referred to a Center medical provider for treatment.

The Center’s growing health, medical and mental health services has a team of more than 125 doctors, nurses, therapists, administrators and others. The Center offers leading-edge free and low-cost medical care, including HIV specialty care, transgender specialty care, and primary care for the entire LGBT community, regardless of HIV status.

For more information about getting tested at the Center, visit freetesting.org or call 323-860-5855.