New Clinic At Youth Services Of Tulsa Provides Accessible Care For Teens, Young Adults

Youth Services of Tulsa now has a clinic on site to provide medical care for teenagers and adults under the nonprofit's care.

This new facility is located right across E Third Street from where Youth Services of Tulsa is located, and leaders said it will make it easier for those in need to receive care.

Youth Services of Tulsa provides vulnerable youth ages 12 to 24 with resources like housing and therapy services. The new medical clinic comes from Community Health Connection, which Youth Services of Tulsa has partnered with for years.

Leaders said the facility provides an accessible and friendly environment and eliminates the barrier of transportation some have when seeking care.

Community Health Connection CEO, Kate Neary, said staff at the clinic will work to make sure teens feel comfortable coming to the clinic alone if they need to.

"Part of that unique aspect is that teens can come by themselves. They don’t necessarily need a parent to come with them or their permission, and it’s confidential. It really is a safe place to get those important services that young adults need," Neary said.

Gabe Lowe is the director of youth development at Youth Services of Tulsa. He said having a clinic so close makes it easier for youth to get the care they need a lot sooner.

Lowe said the clinic also helps with those experiencing homelessness and using Youth Services of Tulsa's emergency shelter.

"Most of the young people that YST works with are experiencing homelessness or are in the system in DHS custody. And this clinic basically serves as a medical home for those young people. If they didn’t have access to that, they may not have access to medical services period," Lowe said.

While the new clinic primarily serves Youth Services of Tulsa, it is open to the neighborhood for walk-ins and appointments.