BALTIMORE — In a new report, the Baltimore City Office of the Inspector General found that problems continue to persist at the Druid Sexual Health & Wellness Clinic on West North Avenue.
Inspector General Isabel Cumming said their team revisited the clinic for a third time after a tip came in about the heat rising to unacceptable levels inside, an issue that had surfaced back in 2021.
Watch as the Inspector General speaks about the problems in the clinic
At the time, the fluctuating temperatures resulted in HIV testing kits having to be thrown out.
"In this case, we were very surprised how the conditions hadn't really changed," Cumming said. "This is an area that we will keep coming back to until it gets to a position that the citizens are prioritized with their health because it's a health and safety issue."
Photos taken inside the clinic in the morning of June 24, 2025 show the temperatures reaching mid-80, while other rooms were noticeably hotter.
Operations had to shut down that day, until repairs were made.
It's something that staff told inspectors regularly happens between May and September "because of the heat."
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The clinic is only operational two days a week and is a stone's throw away from where a mass overdose hospitalized 27 last week.
"It's an incredibly vulnerable area," Cumming said. "This has to become the priority."
According to the health department, the AC unit was repaired and the building returned to acceptable temperatures by 3:00 p.m., the next day. Round trip taxi vouchers were also given to walk-ins after the building was closed to visit the Eastern location.
Interim Health Commissioner Mary Beth Haller acknowledged the ongoing issues, blaming the aging infrastructure of the building.
"The systems supplying cooling to the facility are over 30-years-old and in need of replacement," Haller wrote on June 30.
She stated they are working with the Department of General Services for interim solutions and contingency plans, including stationing portable air conditioning unit in case of another failure.
There are also long term plans to move the clinic to a new facility, which may not be complete for another 18 to 24 months.
"We got almost the same response the last time," Cumming said. "It's not enough to tell us that something's going to happen down the road."
Cumming says inspectors return sooner rather than later.
If the office has learned anything from its work with the Department of Public Works, it's that more pressure leads to positive change.
