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Website: http://stjamesinfirmary.org/ – (info)
Address: San Francisco, California, United States
Countries served: United States
Phone: 415 554-8494
Email: [email protected]
Twitter: @comebystjames
Type: Sex worker run
Faith-based: No
Sex work positive: Yes
About St James Infirmary
FROM THE WEBSITE
St. James Infirmary offers free, confidential, nonjudgmental medical and social services for sex workers (current or former) of all genders and sexual orientations. We are the first occupational safety and health clinic for sex workers run by and for sex workers!
Revolution Through Healthcare
Sex Workers use a variety of venues to obtain healthcare, including private physicians, public health clinics, and emergency rooms. In many cases, they don’t inform their healthcare providers about their occupation out of fear of discrimination or judgment. When Sex Workers do talk about their work, they often find that physicians and other healthcare providers fail to go beyond examining them for sexually transmitted diseases, and even that they do with disrespect. The St. James Infirmary challenges the healthcare model that divides patients and providers. Our clinic was founded on the principals of harm reduction, and the majority of our staff are also community members (receive clinic services). This challenges the traditional top-down service delivery model, and puts the control over our well-being in the hands of Sex Workers.
The St. James Infirmary is fundamentally against the criminalizing of Sex Workers for their profession. Regardless of how Sex Workers got to their current job or if they are experiencing exploitative working conditions or are having the time of their lives, being criminalized is a social injustice with serious public health implications. We do not believe it is supportive of the health and human rights of Sex Workers to give them a criminal record or send them to jail. Because legalization and decriminalization can mean very different things to different people and in different circumstances, discussions on legalizing the trade or on decriminalizing sex work are complicated and make it hard to find consensus. Regardless of varying positions on models of regulation, legalization or decriminalization, the collective view of the St. James Infirmary is that incarceration of our community further marginalizes and disenfranchises us, is a barrier for our community capacity building, and furthers a public health crisis.
People involved with St James Infirmary
Core Staff
Stephany Ashley, Executive Director
Dr. Pratima Gupta, Medical Director
Charles Cloniger, MS, FNP, Clinical Director
Cyd Nova, Programs Director
Mae-Mae Taylor, CFO
Liz Faber, FNP, Medical Provider
Daniel Wilson, Community Harm Reduction Representative
Nati García, Administrative Assistant
Sam Formo, NEX Coordinator
Dee Michel, Harm Reduction Services Coordinator
Kalash Ka, Outreach Coordinator
Anita O’Shea, Registration Coordinator
Star Amerasu, Bad Date List Coordinator
Nikki Witt, Harm Reduction Counselor
Celestina Pearl, Triage Provider
Carmen Alicia, RN
Marion Pellegrini, Phlebotomist
Leticia Brown, MFTI
Celia Roberts, Case Manager
Vadan Ritter, Acupuncturist and Massage Practitioner
Richard Wells, Needle Exchange Assistant
Board of Directors
Margo St. James, Director Emeritus and Founder
Carol Stuart, Director Emeritus and Founder
Patsy Chan, Chair
Naomi Akers, MPH, Treasurer
Johanna Breyer, MSW, Secretary
Sex work focus for St James Infirmary
Sex worker demographics focus for St James Infirmary
Services offered by St James Infirmary
The Mission of the St. James Infirmary is to provide free, compassionate and nonjudgmental healthcare and social services for sex workers (current or former) of all genders and sexual orientations while preventing occupational illnesses and injuries through a comprehensive continuum of services.
Philosophy:
There are many factors which affect the working conditions and experiences for all Sex Workers including the political and economic climate, poverty and homelessness, stigmatization, violence, as well as the overwhelming intricacies of the legal, public and social systems. It is the philosophy of The St. James Infirmary to build upon existing skills and strengths in order to allow individuals to determine their own goals while providing culturally competent and non-judgmental services.
Goals:
• To increase access to primary healthcare and social services for Sex Workers within the San Francisco Bay Area
• To increase formalized communication, cooperation, coordination, and collaboration among individuals and agencies within the San Francisco Bay Area and other areas who serve Sex Workers.
• To promote community-based public health initiatives on behalf of Sex Workers, which may be used as a model for improving occupational health and safety standards and developing comprehensive medical and social services for Sex Workers nationally and internationally.
Reviews, ratings and feedback for St James Infirmary
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SJI is a wonderful organization. I both receive services and volunteer as an outreach worker here. They are supportive and respectful as they are a peer based organization. Do yourself a favor and come by St. James.
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Another waste of time. Can’t help with regular needs like food, transportation, phone, computer. I didn’t ask for counseling, their counselors came from the old (sex-negative) SAGE, so that seems scary.
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Sorry to hear you had a bad experience. We provide food on Wednesday nights from 6-9pm and sometimes on Tuesday from 3-6. We do not currently offer transportation or phones, we do have a computer available for public use on Wednesday nights as well. We have 8 peer counselors on staff – none of whom are from SAGE, and all who have experience in the sex industry. Our case manager and therapist worked at SAGE previously and understand sex work within a labor rights framework.