In the beginning of the year, I wrote about Living Out Loud, the first clinic and wellness center primarily focused on LGBTQI people to open in Tucson. 

The clinic, a child of CODAC Behavioral Health Services, has functioned since December, but will celebrate its official opening this week. The event will feature a tour of the place, refreshments and speeches by state Rep. Victoria Steele, members of CODAC, the GLBT Chamber of  Commerce, the Southern Arizona Gender Alliance and others. 

When I visited the LOL crew in January, a few psychologists had already been seeing some patients, and there were lots of white walls and desks they hoped to fully staff by spring with primary care doctors, therapists, and other health and wellness providers to care for LGBTQI adults and children as young as 6 years old. 

“These populations are all very different and have different needs when it comes to their whole health care,” said Dennis Regnier, CODAC president and CEO, in a statement. "We are proud to be able to offer the core elements of excellent mental health and primary care, with staffing and program components that are specialized to the populations being served.”

All staff and volunteers are LGBTQI-identified and allies who have worked with the community, with some of them transferring to LOL from the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation and other CODAC facilities.

The place fills up a huge gap in health services for LGBTQI people. There are too many avoiding a doctor's visit for fear of discrimination, so bravo LOL.

The opening is Thursday, March 5 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the clinic, 3130 E. Broadway Blvd. For more information, call 327-4505.