CORE Center uses a “one-stop-shopping” model to offer patients all the services they need under one roof. Services include primary and specialty medical care, dental care, social and support services, prevention and education programs, and opportunities to participate in research.
The Center also has an onsite screening clinic that offers confidential testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), confidential counseling and testing for HIV, and tuberculosis (TB) screening.
Primary Care Services
Primary Care Clinics
The CORE Center provides care for HIV positive people through comprehensive single site primary care clinics. Within these clinics primary care physicians, nurses, clinical pharmacists, social workers, insurance benefits workers, mental health, nutritionist, dental and chaplains provide a complete range of services.
Women and Children’s Clinics
The CORE Center has several clinic sessions per week where women, their children and their partners, can receive comprehensive healthcare including prenatal and maternity care, and specialist gynecologic care. Pediatric specialists are present to provide integrated care for HIV+ children, and care of HIV negative infants of our adult women.
Adolescent Medicine at the CORE Center
The Adolescent Medicine Department at the CORE Center serves youth ages 13-24. Adolescent Clinic meets Monday afternoons. The Adolescent Medicine team provides comprehensive health services including primary medical care, pharmacology, psychiatry, individual and group counseling, case management, outreach, and peer counseling within a youth-friendly environment.
Bilingual Clinics / Clínica Bilingüe
In order to provide care for Hispanic patients with limited English proficiency the CORE Center has two primary care clinic sessions for HIV+ people, where all the doctors, nurses, social workers, registrars and other staff speak fluent Spanish.
Continuity of Care / Corrections Clinic
The Continuity of Care Corrections Clinic (Continuity Clinic) provides HIV primary medical care to HIV-infected people newly released from Correctional care including Cook County Jail, the Illinois Department of Corrections, and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
On-Site Specialty Care
- Laboratory
- Dentistry
- Dermatology
- Psychiatry
- Gynecology/Colposcopy
- Obstetrics
- Hematology/Oncology
- Hepatitis
- Neurology
- Nephrology
- Nutrition
- Infusion
- Respiratory Therapy
- Infection Disease Consultations
Support Services
Mental Health
Mental Health (MH) services are available to individuals receiving care at the CORE Center or their family members. MH providers are available during clinic hours to perform psychosocial evaluations, asses urgent patient needs, schedule out-patient therapy sessions and make community referrals for MH services. MH providers also facilitate referrals to CORE Center psychiatry for consultation and or management of psychiatric medications. Psychosocial support groups are offered to provide peer support for patients. A referral for bio-feedback services can also be scheduled to support patients at the CORE Center.
Case Management Services
Comprehensive Medical Case Management services are offered to clients who are eligible for services. Case Management services are designed to foster a client’s sense of pride, independence and self-empowerment. This dual relationship holds the client/Case Manager responsible for their service Plan. The goal of Case Management is to coordinate care requested by the client and keep clients in Medical care and taking their medications.
Chemical Dependency
Chemical Dependency (CD) counselors are available to work with patients in recognizing substance abuse problems and community referrals for timely entrance into an appropriate recovery program. During clinic hours CD counselors may assess CORE Center patients for community referrals or the intensive outpatient program at the CORE Center.
STI Screening Clinic
The most common sexually transmitted infections (STIs) include gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, genital warts, Chlamydia, trichomoniasis, and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) (the virus that causes Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome AIDS).
Most STIs can be treated and the CORE Center’s Screening Clinic provides diagnostic testing and on site treatment for most STIs. You can also receive counseling and information from trained health educators to help you avoid or decrease your chances of getting another STI or HIV.
The following services are offered: confidential STI screening and treatment, confidential HIV counseling and testing, and tuberculosis (TB) screening. STI and HIV services are available to persons 12 years of age or older. Parental consent is not required to receive STI and HIV services at the Screening Clinic. Walk-ins are welcome, an appointment is not necessary.
Affiliated HIV Care Sites
Cost of Services
The cost for services you receive are based on what you can afford to pay. We accept all forms of insurance and as a Public Hospital based clinic, we will treat you regardless of your ability to pay.
In order to maximize access to health and medication benefits that patients are entitled to receive, all new and walk-in patients meet with a Benefits Coordinator. These coordinators will assist you in obtaining medical benefits such as Medicaid, Medicare, Medication Assistance Programs (MAP), the AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP), and Cook County’s sliding fee scale program (Limit of financial Liability for services). We routinely check for private insurance benefits and can advise you on the use of any health insurance benefits available. We will help make any necessary referrals to obtain insurance benefits you qualify for. Working together patients and staff maximize patient access to benefits so that the CORE Center can continue to afford to provide services for newly diagnosed people, as well as uninsured and underinsured residents.
Benefits
All new and walk-in clients are required to meet with one of the Benefits Coordinators located on the first floor in the main registration area. The Benefits Department staff is here to help assist patients with public medical benefits such as but not limited to Medicaid, Medicare, ADAP and Hill Burton, and makes the necessary referrals to obtain those benefits. These measures are taken to ensure patients have access to health care and prescription medications. Benefits Coordinator’s are available Monday –Friday from 9: 00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Limit of Liability
All persons who come to the CORE Center requesting medical care will be treated regardless of race, gender, nationality, beliefs or ability to pay. All patients will be financially screened and verified for a source of payment for the medical care rendered. The Limit of Liability (also known as sliding fee scale) offered by the Cook County Health and Hospitals System is a program to cover all or part of the expenses not covered by federal and state agencies and other insurance payers. It is the patient’s responsibility to thoroughly complete the applications and present the necessary documents as outline in the Proof of Eligibility Sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
Click here for frequently asked questions (FAQs) about CORE Center services.
