JOH's Open Clinic has created a new reality of accessibility to HIV testing in Jerusalem. As Israel’s first Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) - specific health clinic, it offers the only free, anonymous and rapid-result HIV testing service in the country, accompanied by sensitive and non-judgemental counseling by a fully volunteer professional staff.

Open Clinic Goals:

• To provide aspects of LGBT health care that are not readily accessible to the community
• To provide free, anonymous HIV tests in Jerusalem with rapid results
• To provide free condoms and counseling on matters of sexual health, available and accessible to all of Jerusalem's unique populations
• To support programs and cooperative efforts in LGBT and sexual health in Jerusalem
  

In the coming year, we aim to continue our outreach to at-risk populations, launch an "LGBT-friendly doctors" referral service, and initiate an innovative “immediate support service” for people diagnosed with HIV. As we proceed, our vision is very clear: to continue to empower and inform the LGBT and larger community on issues of health and safe sex- enabling them to take control of their own health care and in turn, prevent the spread of HIV.

Since 2002, JOH has pioneered efforts to increase HIV/AIDS awareness and encourage better care and prevention in Jerusalem. These efforts culminated in 2007 with the launch of JOH’s independent LGBT health clinic – the Open Clinic. The Open Clinic provides irreplaceable HIV prevention and testing services to both the LGBT community and the non-LGBT population in a city where conservative culture deters at-risk populations (especially young gay men) from receiving regular HIV testing, if at all.

The information that we collect, and the questions that we ask during the counseling sessions have given us greater insight into our clients' demographics, how they hear about our testing services and why they return to us. Overall, we are seeing that we are becoming increasingly succesfull in reaching high-risk populations. In the past six months, an average of 70% of our clients were male and 30% female. One third of our clients self-identify as "men having sex with men". Significantly, 50% of the people who came into the clinic testified this was the first time they were ever tested for HIV/AIDS.

We are also seeing increasingly more diversity in our client population. Among the 17 clients we are now serving during an average weekly testing session, frequently, at least 2 are Orthodox/ Ultra-Orthodox religious men, and at least one client is of Palestinian/ Arab ethnicity. We are also seeing increasingly more young people between the ages of 16 and 28. These populations are all considered at risk in Jerusalem and we know that we are for many of them the only option to get tested because our service is free and anonymous. We also know that they return regularly and refer friends and/or partners because of their own positive experience. These new populations are unique to the Open Clinic and a direct result of our solid reputation, unique outreach and excellent services.

The Open Clinic is a truly unique institution. Created by the community, for the community, the clinic offers a medical “safe space” where clients can feel at home and receive care from a fully pro-bono professional staff free of prejudice and sensitive to their needs and concerns. Focusing on the unique aspects of LGBT health that are often ignored by the mainstream medical establishment, the clinic has, from the very beginning, shown remarkable potential in its ability to reach out and engage at-risk populations in Jerusalem.

By providing, for the first time in Israel, a testing service that is free, anonymous, rapid and non-judgmental, the Open Clinic is playing a key role in the attempt to reverse trends of new HIV infections. Above and beyond the prevention achieved by making the HIV tests themselves more accessible, it has created friendly accessible health services that can best educate towards a lifestyle conductive of HIV prevention.

The Open Clinic, launched in 2007 by the Jerusalem Open House, provides a free and completely anonymous rapid-result HIV testing service, as well as providing counseling and information and education about HIV/AIDS, STDs and safe sex. Sensitive to the unique needs and concerns of LGBT individuals, the Open Clinic provides an atmosphere free from prejudice and judgment.

AIDS is spreading fast in Israel. Research has shown that prejudice in healthcare and lack of anonymity can lead individuals to be hesitant in seeking advice and testing from their doctors. This is a critical problem as early detection of the virus can limit the spread of HIV/ AIDS and enables antiretroviral and combination drugs a chance to work effectively at fighting infections.

By creating an environment that is welcoming, professional and non-judgmental, our project has made free, anonymous and rapid HIV testing, together with excellent pre-test counseling, accessible to all people in Israel - religious, haredi, "closeted" gay men, men who have sex with men, LGBT community members, straight people and at-risk youth –and is already dramatically increasing the number of individuals getting tested. Since we opened our doors 18 months ago, we have already performed over 900 tests - half of the people who came into the clinic testified this was the first time they were ever tested for HIV!

Working under the supervision of our health coordinator and the clinic’s medical director, volunteers are engaged on all levels: consulting, blood tests, outreach, health education and every other operational aspect of the clinic. Our staff receives extensive training, covering both the medical aspects of HIV/AIDS and sensitivity training. The clinic's staff has developed a reputation for being approachable, and for providing sensitive and sensible counseling. They are impacting the lives of the individuals they test and counsel, as well as the overall reputation of the clinic and its ability to provide the highest level of service in the country for LGBT health and HIV/AIDS prevention.