The St. James Infirmary was made possible because of the unique vision of sex worker rights activists from COYOTE and the Exotic Dancers Alliance (EDA) and a timely event in the San Francisco County Jail.
The St. James Infirmary services include Primary Care, Gynecological and Urological Care, Transgender Hormone Therapy, HIV/STI, TB & Hepatitis Counseling and Testing, STI treatments, Hepatitis A & B Immunizations, Acupuncture, Massage & Reiki Therapy, Peer and Mental Health Counseling, Support Groups, Food and Clothing, Syringe Access & Disposal, Condoms & Lube, Information & Service linkages, Apprenticeship & Internship Programs, and Research & Education.
[3] 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.
In the early 1990s COYOTE member Priscilla Alexander developed the program plan for the St. James Infirmary that was founded on a holistic approach towards healthcare for sex workers as determined by the community rather than just focusing on HIV and STI prevention and treatment.
It is the philosophy of 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.
As stated in the Bay Guardian, “In a field where isolation from your colleagues is common – and a society in which few people outside the trade accept the validity of your work – the infirmary provides an oasis of camaraderie and understanding”.
[14] Sex Worker Environmental Assessment Team(SWEAT)[19] Study data prepared by Alix Lutnick and Deb Cohan, presented at the XVII International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, August 6, 2008.
Culminating experience project for the Masters in Public Health program at SFSU conducted by Executive Director Naomi Akers, MPH(c) in collaboration with Melissa Gira Grant and St. James Infirmary staff, 2007.
A summer internship project conducted by current Executive Director Naomi Akers, as part of the Masters of Public Health Program at San Francisco State University, 2006.