DEAR FRIENDS:

La Clínica enjoyed many new beginnings in 2022, and we are proud and honored to share our stories, achievements, and results in this report. Without you, our partners, supporters, funders, clients, and stakeholders, we could not have been successful in taking one step closer to our 40th anniversary of building a healthier Latino community.

In 2022 we welcomed new leadership to our Board of Directors, and we have been hard at work setting the stage for our future strategic directions. We cannot talk about 2022 without recognizing the joy we felt when seeing each other face to face at our many in-person “firsts.” Our first PRIDE, our first all-staff retreat, our first patient groups, our first Board retreat – these all gave us hope that we can emerge from COVID keeping the best of what we’ve learned while recovering our togetherness.

For our community, 2022 was another difficult year. Even while making gains in COVID prevention and transmission, Latinx immigrants in our region experienced greater economic and housing instability, ongoing impact on mental health and rising needs for substance use services, and continuing lack of access to health insurance coverage and services in many areas within our region. The horrific politization of migrants and newcomers bused to our nations’ capital shone a very visible light on the significant challenges immigrant families face daily, particularly when immigration status is tenuous or unstable. At La Clínica, we know that achieving health and wellbeing in this environment requires more than a plan solely focused on an individual.

Our awareness of these issues informed many of our programs and new initiatives. One example of this revolves around our work with diabetes – a major condition affecting Latinos nationwide. In February, La Clínica was selected as one of nine entities in Maryland to participate in the MD CHRC Pathways to Health Equity initiative, which seeks to reduce health disparities and improve health outcomes. Our project focuses on diabetes disparities among Latinos in Prince George’s County, and includes comprehensive care, medical-legal partnerships, linkage to care and specialty services, public education campaigns, and community mobilization around health access. We worked with our patients and clients to elevate their voices and challenges in public hearings and brought together our academic and community partners to reflect on our knowledge, lessons learned, and gaps in our goals to achieve greater health equity.

Diabetes is only one area of focus for La Clínica, we are also known for our breadth and depth around HIV care and prevention, substance use and mental health, language access, women’s health, gender and LGBTQ-affirming care, chronic care management, and school-based health, among others. Our common thread is not an issue, it’s our community, and our commitment to health as a human right for immigrants and all people. We invite you to get to know us better through this report, and to continue to deepen your relationship with us and our work. On behalf of our Board of Directors and staff, thank you for being a part of our journey.