National LGBT Health Awareness Week, which runs from March 27 to 31, is a time to highlight the importance of LGBT health and wellness and bring awareness to the unique health care needs of the LGBT community. Our staff at The National LGBT Health Education Center, a program of The Fenway Institute, has a number of great suggestions on how health centers can celebrate this week and recommit to fostering LGBT-friendly care environments:
- Partnering with a local LGBT organization to host or sponsor an event
- Holding a town hall to get feedback from LGBT patients and community members
- Organizing grand rounds or training for staff on LGBT health needs
- Creating a more welcoming environment by having LGBT health posters and brochures in waiting and exam areas, such as the ones available at www.lgbthealtheducation.org (or see below)
- Directing staff to online training resources available at www.lgbthealtheducation.org
Having LGBT inclusive materials in waiting areas and exam rooms can aid LGBT patients in feeling more comfortable. The National LGBT Health Education Center has a variety of posters and brochures free to download:
- Do Ask, Do Tell – encourages patients to talk to their providers about their LGBT identity – available in both English and Spanish
- New SO/GI Questions – provides information about the questions on sexual orientation and data collection
- Do It Daily – raises awareness about preventing HIV with PrEP
We also have free 30 on-demand webinars on topics such as Achieving Health Equity for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People and other LGBT health areas such as:
- Introduction to LGBT Health
- LGBT Youth
- Transgender Health Care
- HIV Prevention
- Same-Sex Domestic Violence
- For more information, click here
The National LGBT Health Education Center offers FREE CME/CEU credit from the American Academy of Family Physicians for most of our webinars and online trainings. Click here for more information. In addition, our live and on-demand webinars fulfill the on-going training requirement of the HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index. Click here to learn more.
This National LGBT Health Awareness Week, let’s recommit to providing safe, affirming, and culturally competent health care for all.