Fenway opens New England’s inaugural Lesbian Health Research Forum and expands their Women’s Health department.
In 2010, Fenway welcomed Sidney Borum Jr. Health Center into its family of services and now provides quality healthcare for teens and young adults who identify as LGBT or HIV positive; live on the street; use drugs/alcohol; are involved with gangs; or perform sexual work.
Medical Services
Fenway Health staff noticed unusual symptoms among some of their gay patients in 1980. The Centers for Disease Control later identified these symptoms as Gay Related Immune Deficiency, and Fenway became the first clinic in America to diagnose HIV in those living with it. Also in that year, Fenway published its inaugural edition of The Fenway Guide to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health as a guide. Fenway also helped establish home-based Alternative Insemination programs for women as well as hosting its annual Dinner Party fundraiser while providing over 800 free hepatitis B vaccinations to members of its community members.
In 1994, Fenway was selected by the National Institutes of Health as one of eight sites nationwide to recruit participants for its first HIV vaccine trials. At that same time, Massachusetts’ first AIDS Education and Outreach Program began, Fenway Men’s Event debuted, and Audre Lorde Women’s Cancer Awareness Brunch provided education and support to women at risk of breast and ovarian cancer.
Today, Fenway Health Center has become a nationally renowned leader in LGBT healthcare and is accredited by The Joint Commission as a level III patient-centered medical home. Furthermore, we are recognized as federally qualified community health centers ensuring all people regardless of ability to pay can be seen for care at Fenway.
Late in 2019, the Board of Directors appointed Ellen LaPointe to be CEO, with an aim of stabilizing the organization. Within days of her arrival she quickly changed its focus from dealing with major scandals towards long-standing issues surrounding race equity, COVID-19/mpox compliance, community health and safety.
Behavioral Health Services
Fenway Health is a community-based organization focused on health care, education and research for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Their clinics offer primary healthcare, dental services, eye exams and HIV/AIDS care while The Fenway Institute conducts research on LGBT health. Furthermore, Fenway offers behavioral health services for individuals as well as couples – including group therapy sessions – as well as group therapy services for both partners in relationships.
In 2013, this organization collaborated with the AIDS Action Committee of Massachusetts to enhance HIV and AIDS care delivery, while restructuring its senior leadership to include more women and people of color. They expanded women’s health offerings while also relaunching the LGBT Health and Wellness Center with new services for transgender and gender nonconforming youth.
In 2015, the organization expanded its behavioral health offerings with the hiring of a gender identity therapist who assisted in offering more services for transgender people including individual counseling sessions, family therapy sessions, HIV testing/treatment as well as STI testing/treatment as well as an employee sex worker program.
Last month, this organization unveiled its newly designed home for their Behavioral Health and STI/STD department with telehealth capabilities and women’s health in mind. At 1340 Boylston Street is the largest building constructed specifically to serve LGBT communities; housing the Fenway Institute – a national center dedicated to LGBT health research, training, advocacy.
Additionally, this organization provides several groups tailored specifically towards gay men who are experiencing out of control sexual behaviors. These skilled-based group therapies aim to empower individuals by equipping them with knowledge and skills, peer support and enhanced motivation towards healthy change. Groups can be found both at 1340 Boylston Street and South End locations.
Dental Services
Fenway Health Center’s (FCHC) mission is to promote the wellbeing of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities as well as all residents in our neighborhoods by providing access to quality healthcare, education, research and advocacy. FCHC operates a federally qualified health center which offers primary care as well as optical, dental and behavioral health care as well as housing the world-renowned Fenway Institute research group.
FCHC Dental Department features 18 operating chairs and offers comprehensive exams and oral cancer screening/evaluation as well as digitalized x-rays, cleanings and checkups, tooth colored composite fillings (composite fillings), aesthetic consultations and tooth whitening procedures, complete and partial removable prosthetics (dentures) as well as non-complicated root canals and tooth extractions for patients of all ages.
As well as standard dental care, this clinic also provides specialty services, such as implant restorations and bone grafts. Furthermore, they are equipped to offer preventive treatments, including fluoride and silver diamine fluoride treatments for children.
Fenway Health’s Dental department is currently seeking a Patient Services Coordinator to support our Dental department. The Coordinator will be accountable for providing outstanding customer service, patient registration and documentation, appointment scheduling and helping with financial arrangements for patients. This full time position requires knowledge of patient service best practices as well as being able to work harmoniously with diverse staff, clients and patients.
Optical Services
Fenway Health’s Optical Services provide routine eye care to adults and children in order to meet their visual needs, providing eyeglasses and contact lenses as necessary. Their service is open to patients regardless of income level, being located in Boston, Massachusetts – they have been offering these services for over thirty years!
The organization prides itself on its strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, offering healthcare that is sensitive to its diverse population’s culture and language needs. They work closely with community organizations and schools in shaping their services, while they partner with NECO for clinical internships in their Optometry department.
NUSHP members can utilize their health savings account funds at Fenway Health to purchase eyeglasses and contact lenses, saving money while supporting the mission of their organization. However, you should first check with your HSA provider to see if there are any restrictions regarding this use; if any are present then please reach out to HR for more details.
Transgender Health Services
Fenway Health staff and community members have long recognized the value of offering gender affirming healthcare. When founding this institution, its founders had in mind to build an institution which would meet both LGBT people’s needs as well as those living in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood – with particular consideration given to low-income residents and students.
Over time, Fenway has developed an expansive suite of services tailored specifically to meeting the health care needs of transgender and gender nonconforming patients. In 2007, Fenway pioneered an accessible and holistic model of gender affirmative care by implementing its modified informed consent model for cross-sex hormone therapy that removed unnecessary barriers such as lengthy mental health evaluations and “real life tests”
Fenway has also enhanced its systems to assist providers in providing gender affirmative care, such as including fields in their electronic health record for collecting patients’ preferred names and pronouns as well as their birth gender assignment and current gender identity. Trainings on cultural competency have also been provided.
Fenway has taken steps in response to recent violence against Black trans communities and the COVID-19 pandemic to provide resources directly to LGBTQ-centered organizations that offer safe spaces, leadership development opportunities and advocacy services for BIPOC and transgender communities in their local area. In addition, Fenway pledged donations of funds in response to COVID-19 pandemic.
Fenway Health Center is New England’s premier facility devoted to serving transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals, and a national leader in their care delivery. As a beacon of hope and trusted resource in its community, The Fenway Institute boasts nationally recognized research, education, and training programs.
