Mayor Rex Richardson and Community Leaders Attend Grand Reopening Ceremony
LONG BEACH, Calif., May 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — APLA Health proudly celebrates the grand reopening of its Long Beach Health Center, unveiling a significant expansion that enhances its capacity to serve the LGBTQ+ community and other underserved populations in the region.
The expanded facility, now the largest among APLA Health’s eight care centers in Los Angeles County, has tripled in size since its original opening in 2016. It now boasts 18 exam rooms, a newly expanded laboratory, blood drawing stations, a dental clinic, and offers specialized services including gender health and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis).
“This is a facility that provides full-service healthcare regardless of their identity and regardless of their insurance source,” said Long Beach Mayor Rex Richardson in remarks at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “Our LGBT neighbors and all our residents need places and respites that are safe.”
“The Long Beach Health Center expansion reflects our steadfast commitment to our patients and our mission,” said Craig E. Thompson, CEO of APLA Health. “At a time when healthcare access is under threat for many communities, we are proud to invest in a future where every individual can access the care they need to thrive.”
The expansion comes at a time of mounting uncertainty around federal healthcare funding, which poses challenges for community health providers nationwide, especially for those who specialize in care for LGBTQ+ people. Nevertheless, APLA Health is taking proactive steps to strengthen its infrastructure and ensure long-term stability, reaffirming its dedication to inclusive, accessible care regardless of changes in the political landscape.
The APLA Health Center, Long Beach is open weekdays from 8 AM to 5 PM on the campus of St. Mary Medical Center. For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit aplahealth.org or call (562) 247-7740.
About APLA Health:
APLA Health (formerly AIDS Project Los Angeles) restores dignity and trust within underserved communities by providing world-class LGBTQ+ empowering healthcare, HIV specialty care, food, housing, and other essential support services.
Since our founding in 1983, APLA Health has remained steadfast in our commitment to ending the HIV epidemic in our lifetime. We operate eight Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) locations in Los Angeles County, serving more than 19,000 people annually, regardless of ability to pay.
Our list of comprehensive services includes LGBTQ+ primary care, dental care, mental health, HIV specialty care, and Out Here Sexual Health services (PrEP, STD screening & treatment, DoxyPEP, and PEP). For people with HIV, our wraparound support services include housing assistance through the Alliance for Housing & Healing and nutritional support via the Vance North Necessities of Life Program, the largest food pantry in the United States for people with HIV, distributing over one million meals annually.
APLA Health’s annual fundraisers include AIDS Walk LA — the world’s first and oldest AIDS Walk — and Best in Drag Show. We are leaders in advocating for policy and legislation at the local, state and Federal levels that positively impact the LGBTQ+ and HIV communities. For more information on APLA Health, visit aplahealth.org.
SOURCE APLA Health
