Impact through Innovation
Impact through Innovation
Accelerating Public Health Solutions
Discover how our expanding suite of direct service programs leverages science with action to tackle food insecurity, behavioral and sexual health and more, driving positive change for traditionally underserved individuals and moving the needle toward eliminating health disparities in Rhode Island.
Our Impact
by the numbers
In research funding secured. Driving impact through research.
Given access to Healthy Food. SNAP incentives for all in grocery stores.
Policy wins through leading statewide advocacy campaigns.
Vaccinated, Tested, and Treated for MPOX. Rhode Island’s leader.
Engaged for trusted care in LGBTQ+ Communities: culturally tailored services.
Open Door Health
Open Door Health, powered by the Rhode Island Public Health Institute, has led the way in inclusive healthcare delivery since 2020. As the state’s only LGBTQ+ clinic, we offer essential services, including primary care, gender-affirming care, comprehensive sexual health services, and treatment for HIV, STIs, and Hepatitis C. We have cared for over 9,000 Rhode Islanders and led Rhode Island’s MPOX response in 2022. Accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care in March 2023, we’re also a training ground for future health professionals. We’re here to provide health services for our diverse community, and to be the trusted go-to place where everyone can find the support they deserve.
Open Mind
Removing Barriers to High-Quality Behavioral Care
Open Mind, RIPHI’s newest initiative housed at Open Door Health, is set to revolutionize behavioral health care with a $10 million federal grant and partnerships with The Providence Center and the Rhode Island Department of Health. We offer everything from psychiatry and short-term therapy to behavioral health triage. Open Mind is specifically designed to address the needs of the LGBTQ+ communities, adding depth to our existing primary and gender-affirming services. We’re bringing evidence-based care to our local community for mental health and substance use, and we also have a program to treat infectious disease consequences of substance use such as HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV). Our goal? To accept people as they come and guide them on their journey to wellness.
Nourish RI
Healthy Food for All
Open Door Health, powered by the Rhode Island Public Health Institute, has led the way in inclusive healthcare delivery since 2020. As the state’s only LGBTQ+ clinic, we offer essential services, including primary care, gender-affirming care, comprehensive sexual health services, and treatment for HIV, STIs, and Hepatitis C. We have cared for over 9,000 Rhode Islanders and led Rhode Island’s MPOX response in 2022. Accredited by the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care in March 2023, we’re also a training ground for future health professionals. We’re here to provide health services for our diverse community, and to be the trusted go-to place where everyone can find the support they deserve.
Food on the Move
Nutritious, Affordable, Accessible: Food on the Move
Did you know one in six Rhode Islanders faces food insecurity? Our Food on the Move program makes a difference in fighting hunger. We support traditionally underserved communities across the state with mobile produce markets, bringing fresh produce directly to “food deserts.” With Food on the Move, Rhode Islanders can receive a 50% discount on produce when paying with SNAP benefits, while our truck keeps everything fresh.
But we’re not just delivering food; we’re transforming healthy eating for low-income Rhode Islanders. Recognized as one of the top programs in the country, Food on the Move makes nutritious food more accessible and helps people incorporate more fresh fruits and vegetables into their daily diets. This program has been rigorously evaluated and is one of few programs that helps people living in poverty improve their diets.
Faith in Action
Leveraging the Power of African American Churches for Health and Wellness
Faith in Action leverages the power and social influence of African American churches in the Deep South to promote access to health services for HIV prevention and care, as well as other diseases. Partnering with African American faith leaders, RIPHI has been at the forefront of promoting HIV testing, treatment, and prevention for the past 15 years. Our work, recognized recently by the Centers for Disease Control and the federal Ryan White HIV care program, sets a national standard for fighting health disparities and improving community health.
Providence Community Clinic Network
Community Health Comeback
The Providence Community Clinics Network (PCCN) is a partnership led by the Rhode Island Public Health Institute (RIPHI) and the City of Providence Department of Housing and Human Services. PCCN brings together the city’s safety net health centers and public health experts to tackle key health issues like promoting a return to primary care after the COVID pandemic, and enhancing health literacy. Through our “Get Back on Track” campaign, we made it easier for everyone to reconnect with their healthcare providers and get back on track with their health after the COVID pandemic. This citywide effort included a social marketing campaign with billboards, social media, and more to promote a return to primary care services, and to link Rhode Islanders to many different social support services as well.
In fall 2024, we expanded this program to enhance health and well-being at the city’s recreation centers. This program aims to link youth and adults who seek services at recreation centers to our new behavioral health programs, as well as city initiatives.
