The Wright Center’s Ryan White Clinic Leads Regional Fight Against HIV/AIDS Members News June 2, 2025 Mary Louise Decker, M.D., FIDSA, is a board-certified infectious disease physician and Infectious Disease Medical Director for The Wright Center for Community Health. It’s been a privilege to witness the remarkable progress over the last several decades, with the story of HIV transforming into a manageable chronic condition thanks to community advocacy, scientific advances, and compassionate care. At The Wright Center for Community Health’s Ryan White Clinic, we celebrate this progress and continue to stand with our patient to ensure they lead full, healthy lives with the support they deserve. Still, our work is far from over. We remain committed to helping individuals achieve undetectable viral levels and supporting them through every step of their journey. As a local leader in HIV/AIDS care, The Wright Center proudly supports awareness efforts like National HIV Testing Day, observed annually on June 27 since its establishment in 1995. The day highlights the importance of testing and encourages individuals to seek treatment and support as early as possible. For more than two decades, The Wright Center has delivered high-quality, compassionate HIV/AIDS care through our Ryan White Clinic, which serves more than 500 patients across seven counties in Northeast Pennsylvania. Located at our Scranton and Wilkes-Barre community health centers, the clinic is staffed by an exceptional team of infectious disease experts. I’m honored to lead this deeply committed and skilled group of professionals. We are excited to share that our clinic recently received more than $1 million in federal funding through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program Part C Early Intervention Services Program, administered by the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). This three-year grant supports comprehensive HIV primary health services, education and treatment adherence counseling, and referrals for additional services when needed. The Wright Center has been a HRSA-designated Ryan White Part C provider since 2002, delivering care through a whole-person, integrated model. Our patients – those living with or at risk for HIV – benefit from having access to a wide range of services at our specialty clinic locations, from clinical care to mental health support and social services. Thanks to continued progress in medication adherence, over 95% of our patients have achieved undetectable viral loads, meaning they cannot transmit the virus to others. But treatment goes far beyond medication. Our multidisciplinary team provides a full spectrum of health services. In addition to medical care management, staff at the clinic offer behavioral health, dental care, medical nutrition therapy, and addiction and recovery services, offering comprehensive, patient-centered care tailored to the complex needs of individuals living with or at risk for HIV/AIDS. The clinic provides medical treatment for those individuals living with HIV who are co-infected with Hepatitis B and/or Hepatitis C. In addition, the clinic offers HIV preventive services, testing, and treatment. In 2008 the clinic expanded its offerings to include Part B medical case management, offering comprehensive support to help individuals living with HIV effectively manage their medical and supportive care needs. Available ancillary services include housing assistance, transportation, emergency financial aid, a food bank, home-delivered and congregate meals, nutritional supplements, support for durable medical equipment purchases, help with lab and medical bills, psychosocial support, and more. We welcome all patients, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. Our patients range from 18 to over 80, with more than 60% age 50 and older – a reflection of the success we’ve seen in extending both lifespan and quality of life for those living with HIV. The Ryan White Clinic continues to make a real difference in our communities, and I’m proud of the life-changing care we provide every day. We look forward to continuing this important work for years to come. Mary Louise Decker, M.D., FIDSA, is a board-certified infectious disease physician and Infectious Disease Medical Director for The Wright Center for Community Health. Dr. Decker leads The Wright Center’s Ryan White Clinic. To make an appointment, call 570-941-0630 or go to TheWrightCenter.org.
