CAP Launches New Behavioral Health Program in Washington
Vancouver, WA – Cascade AIDS Project (CAP) is excited to announce the grand opening of its Behavioral Health clinic in downtown Vancouver, WA, located at 100 E 33rd St. This program will offer culturally specific behavioral healthcare services and gender affirming care to the LGBTQ+ population throughout Southwest Washington.
We are incredibly excited to be able to offer these unique and critically important services within Southwest Washington. As a queer-identified leader at Cascade AIDS Project, it is deeply personal to me to have been a part of building this program from the ground up and to respond to the needs that we know exist for our diverse LGBTQ+ communities. I’m eager to see the impact over time as we work to create a strong network of providers who are culturally competent, compassionate, and driven to spark positive change for a population that has so often been forgotten.
-Jasmine Gruenstein, Director of CAP SW WA Services
CAP has offered robust and innovative HIV care and prevention services in Southwest Washington since 2017, in the same building where Behavioral Health is now housed in Vancouver. This location was strategically picked to partner with PeaceHealth Family Medicine, an established HIV care provider with an outstanding history of service to the LGBTQ+ community. Nearly half of CAP’s 500 HIV+ patients access care from Family Medicine, and a strong referral process is in place for these shared patients to engage in Behavioral Health as needed.
In Southwest Washington, there is a massive demand for behavioral health providers. It is exciting that CAP now has therapists with experience and particular interest in caring for LGBTQ+ folks. I am hopeful that soon many more folks will begin to access this care.
- Dr. John Nusser, PeaceHealth Family Medicine & former CAP Board Member
CAP was awarded start-up funding for the clinic from a congressional earmark via Washington Senator Patty Murray. Behavioral Health access is in high demand in Southwest Washington, particularly for queer and trans youth who may not receive the support they need from their families or networks. CAP SW WA’s services reflect this need and more by offering individual, family, and relationship therapy, as well as support groups and gender affirming care services, which are provided by staff that share in the LGBTQ+ experience.
In addition to the funds provided through the congressional earmark, CAP received numerous gifts and grants through new partners and long-time supporters including:
A $30,000 grant from Community Foundation of Southwest Washington
A $10,000 grant from Kaiser Permanente
A $15,000 grant from Premera
A $25,000 grant from Southwest Washington Accountable Community of Health (SWACH)
A $100,000 grant from Clark County’s American Rescue Plan Act
Since CAP SW Washington opened in downtown Vancouver in 2017 and began providing unified HIV Care and Prevention programming, it was immediately clear to our team that one huge gap in the community was access to safe, affordable, trauma-informed mental health services. From our earliest days, we hoped that we'd someday have the opportunity and resources to better meet that need and create robust behavioral health programming to complement our existing inclusive services. We are beyond thrilled to finally make this a reality for the clients we currently serve and the greater LGBTQ+ community and throw our doors wide open for all.
- Kristi Addis, Chief Programs Officer, Cascade AIDS Project
For more information, please contact either of the following:
Dustin Vance (CAP) : 503-278-3854 / comms@capnw.org
Jasmine Gruenstein (CAP) : 360-986-3530 / jgruenstein@capnw.org
About Cascade AIDS Project
Founded in 1983 and incorporated in 1985 as the Cascade AIDS Project, CAP is the oldest and largest community-based provider of HIV services, housing, education and advocacy in Oregon and Southwest Washington. We promote well-being and advance equity by providing inclusive health and wellness services for LGBTQ+ people, people affected by HIV, and all those seeking compassionate care. When the need for affordable, accessible, and culturally affirming primary care services was identified as a community need, we responded by opening Prism Health in 2017. And in 2022, Our House of Portland joined the CAP family to further expand our service offerings and allow us to offer a full lifecycle of care to our community. To learn more about CAP, please visit www.capnw.org
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