After two years of diligence, a small number of dedicated professionals at the University of South Florida, as well as concerned private individuals, are honored to announce the realization of a long awaited effort: The Ybor Youth Clinic (YYC).
â┚¬Å”The YYC is filling a long-recognized, yet unmet need in the Tampa Bay Area,â┚¬Â said Bill Kanouff, who is the primary fundraiser for the new organization. â┚¬Å”We are reaching out to provide care to youth in Tampa Bay that have been ignored, underserved, or have not felt welcomed or comfortable in traditional health care settings. This population includes HIV positive and high-risk youth; LGBTQ youth, homeless and street youth and sexually exploited youth.â┚¬ÂÂ
While Kanouff is optimistic about the clinicâ┚¬â€Âa few donations are still needed to make sure the doors open this year.
The YYC's mission is to provide the highest quality, innovative, compassionate and nonjudgmental health care services to youth in an environment tailored to their specific and unique needs. Health services offered by the clinic will include HIV testing and treatment, primary, specialty and episodic care, GYN and contraceptive care, comprehensive STI testing and treatment, psychiatric and mental health screening and care and access to various adolescent research trials.
â┚¬Å”In time, we hope to implement training programs for prospective nurses and physicians aspiring to gain the necessary knowledge and skills suitable to working with these vulnerable populations,â┚¬Â Kanouff added.
The group will hold a fundraiser on Saturday, Aug. 20, from 8-11 p.m. at the Ybor Youth Clinic, located at 1315 E. 7th Ave., #104. Tickets are $100 per person and the event is open to the public.
â┚¬Å”While rent, utilities, basic office supplies, and the medical, mental health and social services staff salaries are provided through many of our grants, many other areas need financial support,â┚¬Â said Kanouff. â┚¬Å”Medical equipment and supplies, clinic furnishings, and funding for basic care needs of non-insured youth are largely dependent upon donations. All donations made to the YYC in care of the USF Foundation are tax deductible.
â┚¬Å”We started paying rent in August and we are just $10,000 shy of being able to open our doors to youth,â┚¬Â said Kanoff. â┚¬Å”If just 100 people attend the fundraiser and donate $100 or more per person, we can realize are our goal. We are very hopeful that we will meet or exceed that.â┚¬ÂÂ
Kanouff said that the new center will offer support to Tampa's LGBT youth that has not been seen before.
â┚¬Å”Many of these kids have been rejected by their families either because of who they choose to love or their health status,â┚¬Â Kanouff said. â┚¬Å”They need us.â┚¬ÂÂ
Ticket may be purchased at the door the night of the event and additional donations for the clinic may be sent to the center's new executive director, Ken Kavanaugh, USF Pediatric, ID, 17 Davis Blvd., Suite 200, Tampa, FL 33606.