New gay health center to open in San Francisco

A new sexual health services center in San Francisco's predominantly gay Castro district is set to open on July 9, providing gay male clients with a variety of services, including testing for sexually transmitted diseases and HIV antibodies, as well as group and individual counseling. Called "Magnet," the clinic is funded by Bristol Myers-Squibb and the San Francisco mayor's office. "This is the type of private-public partnership that maximizes resources and goes straight to the heart of community needs," said Mayor Willie Brown of the health center at a July 2 press conference announcing its opening. The clinic, located at 4122 18th St., will employ four full-time staff members and also will rely on a pool of volunteers. "Magnet is definitely not your typical VD clinic," said clinic director Steven Gibson. "Our community planning efforts showed that gay men wanted a place that provided sexual health services but wasn't just about diseases. We believe that expanding the way that gay men define health will improve our individual and collective health, body, and mind." For more information about the clinic, go online to www.magnetsf.org.