As lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people increasingly access care at health centers, the clinical workforce needs to be prepared to meet the unique health needs of LGBTQ patients. Finding LGBTQ-proficient providers, however, can present a challenge, especially outside major metropolitan areas.
Learning Resources — Organizational Change
Promoting Health Equity for LGBTQ New Yorkers
Dr. Demetre Daskalakis discusses the difference between equality and equity in health systems, and the importance of health equity for the LGBTQ community. Dr. Daskalakis describes how sexual orientation and gender identity are social determinants of health for people who hold those identities, and provides a framework for thinking about how these determinants can be counteracted in the clinic setting.
- Filed under
- Organizational Change
Creating a Community Advisory Board
Sophia Geffen discusses the creation, management, and function of a Community Advisory Board in understanding the needs of a particular group seeking services at a community health center. In this webinar, Geffen focuses on how the LGBTQIA+ community must be included in strategy and decision making processes for community health centers to be able to appropriately serve this population. Geffen provides guidance on how to solicit participation for a Community Advisory Board, and what to look for in a CAB that is well populated and able to effectively engage with a community health center.
- Filed under
- Organizational Change
Creating a Transgender Health Program at Your Health Center
In this guide, we provide a framework for building a health program for transgender and gender diverse patients at your health center. There is no "one size fits all" approach to this work, but there are certain building blocks from which to create your own program that supports the gender diverse people in your community.
- Filed under
- Organizational Change
- Transgender Health
Fact Sheet: Transgender Health and Medical-Legal Partnerships
This fact sheet describes common social and legal needs that affect the health of transgender individuals, and ways integrated legal services can help meet those needs. It examines medical-legal partnership programs at three health care organizations and how they operate, and it shares stories of people benefiting from medical-legal partnership services.
- Filed under
- Organizational Change
- Transgender Health
LGBT Health Readiness Assessments in Health Centers: Key Findings
The National LGBT Health Education Center started conducting direct training and technical assistance with Federally Qualified Health Centers in 2014. This service was made possible by the expansion of our National Cooperative Agreement with the Health Resources and Services Administration to include technical assistance work. Since 2014, seventeen health centers in six states (Connecticut, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Mississippi, New York, and Texas) have participated in the assessment process.
- Filed under
- Organizational Change
Focus on Forms and Policy: Creating an Inclusive Environment for LGBT Patients
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people come from all walks of life and experience many of the same health problems as non-LGBT people. This means that every organizational policy and procedure may impact the experience of LGBT people. To create an LGBT-affirming and inclusive environment, it is important to examine policies and procedures. This publication reviews some common updates to organizational forms and polices to create an affirming and inclusive environment for LGBT patients, and reviews strategies to modify procedures, behavior, and language to be inclusive of all patients.
- Filed under
- Organizational Change
Providing Affirmative Care for Patients with Non-binary Gender Identities
All members of a health care organization—front-line staff members, clinicians, and administrators—play a crucial role in offering an inclusive, affirming experience for all people, including those with non-binary gender identities. Everyone, no matter their gender identity or expression, appreciates friendly, courteous, and effective care. In addition, non-binary people, who have gender identities other than male or female, have unique needs when interacting with the health care system. Non-binary people face numerous health disparities as well as stigma, discrimination, and a lack of access to quality care. However, you do not need to specialize in non-binary health care to give your non-binary patients an affirming experience.
Building Patient-Centered Medical Homes for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Patients and Families
While expanding access to health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act has been vital to millions of previously uninsured Americans, moving U.S. health care away from fee-for-service, volume-driven payments to payments based on value and outcomes will be a much more challenging transformation. For health centers and other health care providers, one commonly used model for practice transformation is the patient-centered medical home (PCMH). The PCMH model transforms how primary care is coordinated and delivered by emphasizing comprehensive, team-based care that places the patient at the center. When implemented successfully, the PCMH model leads to higher quality care at a lower cost, improving both the patients’ and providers’ experience of care.
- Filed under
- Organizational Change
Providing Inclusive Services and Care for LGBT People: A Guide for Health Care Staff
Providing Inclusive Services and Care for LGBT People has been developed to help all members of the health care team provide an inclusive and affirmative environment for all clients, with a focus on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people.
Creating an inclusive environment in which health care conversations are more comfortable for the patient is an important goal for all health care staff. All patients deserve access to high quality health care; in health care organizations, both front-line staff and clinicians must be prepared to serve people of all races, ethnicities, religions, ages, and backgrounds.
Here’s What You’ll Find Inside:
- Part 1 provides background information on LGBT people and their health needs.
- Part 2 provides tips and strategies to improve communication and create a more welcoming environment.
- Part 3 includes helpful resources, a glossary of terms, and additional information about how to care for LGBT people.
- Filed under
- Organizational Change
