Project STAY has been providing sexual health services in collaboration with various institutions and at different locations throughout our 35+ year history. However, the one constant has been our unwavering dedication to delivering accessible health services and to supporting our clients and patients while they navigate the challenges of poverty, racism, homophobia, transphobia, trauma, substance use, and mental health issues, in addition to acute and chronic health conditions. 

Project STAY has its origins in the school-based clinic movement. We were in the vanguard of programs establishing clinical services in NYC high schools in the mid-1980’s, under the auspices of St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital. In the process of providing primary medical care and psychosocial services, we identified several young people who had sexually transmitted infections. Concerned that this could be the “tip of the iceberg”, we got a small grant to hire a health educator to conduct HIV testing for these young people. Out of the first ten high school students she screened, four were found to be living with HIV. All were asymptomatic. During this time period (late 1980’s) there were no specific programs serving adolescents living with HIV in northern Manhattan.

In an attempt to meet the complex needs of these young people, we collaborated with Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health to write a grant to the New York State Department of Health’s AIDS Institute. Subsequently, we were awarded funding to establish a regional Specialized Care Center (SCC) to provide comprehensive services to youth living with HIV. The initial name for the program was CAYACC (Comprehensive Adolescent and Young Adult Care Center). Over time, the program grew and changed affiliations from St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital to what is now the Columbia University Irving Medical Center and was renamed Project STAY.

Today, there are three core components of Project STAY: The Project STAY Sexual Health Clinic, the HIV+ Center for Young Adults, and the Outreach Program.

Project STAY Sexual Health Clinic

The Project STAY sexual health clinic is a free sexual health clinic for people ages 13+. No insurance or ID documentation required. Our focus is on serving communities that face heightened barriers to accessing care, including LGBTQ+ people, youth and young adults, those experiencing or at-risk of homelessness, and those experiencing poverty. However, no one is turned away from our clinic, and we are happy to welcome folks from all walks of life. We offer a range of sexual health services, including HIV/STI testing and treatment, PrEP and PEP, doxyPEP, birth control, HRT (hormone replacement therapy), primary care, sexual health vaccinations, mental health services, and more. 

HIV+ Clinic

At our Center for Young Adults (CYA), we provide HIV treatment and care for adolescents and young adults ages 14-29, with easy care transition to adult HIV care services for people aged 30+. We offer the latest treatment options, including injectable antiretroviral medication. CYA is a “medical home” for young people living with HIV, and our patients can receive additional services including STI screening and treatment, birth control, HRT, mental health services, primary care, and more.

Outreach Program

The outreach program offers community-based sexual health education, on-site HIV and STI screenings, and linkages to care at our clinics. We bring our services to a diverse range of venues and partners, including colleges and high schools, shelters, workforce development programs, bars and nightlife venues, and community resource fairs. Our goal is to provide essential HIV/STI screenings and health education services to people who are less likely to seek care in a traditional health care setting, including populations that have been historically underserved or excluded from accessing quality healthcare.