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26Health

Patient-centered care. An idea often conceptualized in health care facilities, but often never fully realized until now.

For the staff at Orlando-based 26Health, it is not enough to say it is their goal to treat the entire patient. They make it happen.

“The organization truly takes a holistic view of the patient,” says Manny Carames, director of behavioral health and adoptions. “We are a patient-centered-type organization born in 2015 from the work of Dr. David Baker-Hargrove.

“Dr. David, who uses Ve/Ver/Vers pronouns, had a psychotherapy practice in an office of the building we’re in, and when ve decided to expand, ve started with a small group of five employees,” Carames continues. “We’ve now grown to almost 50.”

The services available at the nonprofit, whose mission is to improve mind-body-spirit health in Central Florida’s LGBTQ+ and ally community, reflect the growth of the practice. From a primary care medical clinic, to a patient care center, to a behavioral health department, an onsite pharmacy and a medSpa, the boxes are truly ticked to offer patients whatever they may need whenever they may need it.

“Overall, we want to be a full resource for our clients,” Carames explains. “We are always looking to expand services with our patients’ needs as the focus. “

This means patients at 26Health may come for a primary care visit with a physician, but an easy referral could send them to the patient care center for assistance with Social Security questions, housing concerns, food benefits and more. A consultation with a therapist, or time at the in-house spa is also available, all part of what 26Health considers its 360-degree continuum of care.

An adoption agency is also part of 26Health’s services. The recent onboarding of industry veteran Krystal Trocki, as adoption coordinator, has helped add to the growth of this service.

 “We are the first fully focused LGBTQ+ adoption agency in Florida. Of course, our focus is Florida, but our license is global, so we really can go anywhere, ” says Carames. “Adoption can be a daunting endeavor, especially for same-sex couples looking to welcome a child into their home. But 26Health offers a hand to hold throughout the process, and continues with regular check-ins to be sure everyone involved is in a good place.”

“We do try our hardest to protect our clients and help them navigate the waters,” Carames continues. “There’s no reason to call yourself a fully focused LGBTQ+ agency if you can’t.”

A highlight of working with 26Health for adoption services is that the organization is able to offer whatever health services the children—and parents—may need, right on site. 

“Unfortunately, many of the children we work with come from trauma-based situations. We have behavioral health services available that can help,” Carames says. “Or if the child is sick, we are able to help with that, too.”

With adoption services in full gear, Trocki says 26Health has also started a program called A Bag of My Own for the foster children they assist.

“We’ve been working with different community partners to collect new or gently used luggage to distribute to foster children,” she explains. “That way they’re not moving with garbage bags, which, unfortunately, is what many of them have to do.”

Trocki says the interest in the program has been widespread, with businesses from bars to insurance companies to ice cream stores offering luggage, but the hope is to see interest continue to grow for the holiday season.

26Health is also working on other outreach programs in the community. New training programs have been put in place, and are being developed, to help bring awareness to the community so that the challenges we all face—such as mental health concerns—may be met with understanding.

With so much to offer, and so much to look forward to in the future, it is evident 26Health has found—and continues to expand upon—a way to truly embody the patient-centered care experience.

 

26Health

801 N. Magnolia Ave., Suite 402

Orlando

(321) 800-2922

26Health.org