ST. PETERSBURG | Metro Inclusive Health–formerly Metro Wellness and Community Centers–unveiled its new name and branding while providing additional details about the organization’s state-of-the-art health and community center Jan. 29.
“For 26 years, Metro has provided healthcare services that are inclusive of all segments of our community, starting with its roots in HIV case management in 1992,” the organization’s press release reads. “The new brand, Metro Inclusive Health, is a nod to the organization’s role in serving all aspects of our community as well as a highly-modernized approach in delivering health services.”
“In our founding days,” Metro CEO Lorraine Langlois shared, “we served many that were not included in traditional healthcare channels. Since then, inclusivity has been a guiding theme for the organization in many ways.”
In 2018, Metro impacted over 27,000 individuals regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or economic status. Metro and its partner CAN Community Health are the area’s only organizations offering primary care alongside HIV care, treatment and management–combining counseling, medical and social programming services under one roof.
To meet that surging demand and expand self-sustaining funding opportunities, the partner organizations have completed their 47,000-square-foot health and community center in St. Petersburg. Metro’s release highlighted some of the campus’ features ahead of their grand opening celebration scheduled for Feb. 9.
“The community center fills the area’s need for 10,000 square feet of high-tech event space with onsite parking and outdoor space with activities,” it reads. The organization added that it “includes multiple conference and meeting rooms for Metro’s LGBTQ+ programming as well as professional rentals with digital whiteboards and video conferencing abilities” and that an additional 5,000 square feet of co-working space and offices will soon be completed.
“Employing an innovative approach, the new health center helps meet increased demand while optimizing intake procedures and patient experience,” the release continues. “A centralized nurses’ station, checkout and on-site pharmacy are strategically placed at the center of exam and intake rooms.”
Metro also highlighted its updated logo. Its transition of jewel tone colors, they noted, “represent the organization’s commitment to inclusive health for all segments of our Tampa Bay community regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, age or economic status.”
As for its three main colors, yellow represents “enlightenment and positivity,” red represents “years of service to those with HIV/AIDS” and blue is the organization’s signature color. The scheme’s reverberation of the “halo” represents Metro’s “vast impact on the community.”
Metro Inclusive Health currently offers personalized health and wellness services in St. Petersburg, Tampa, Clearwater and New Port Richey. For more information about the grand opening for its state-of-the-art health and community center in St. Petersburg, click here or visit their website.
