LGBTQ+ Primary Care and HIV Treatment

After conversations led to establishing the Pride Fund, in 2018 a $21,250 grant from the Arthur L. Tuuri Health Fund was awarded to Wellness AIDS Services. Wellness assists individuals infected and affected by HIV and provides prevention education in Genesee County. The organization has a 35-year history of serving marginalized populations with priority given to people of color, people living with HIV, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other sexual minorities (LGBTQ+), injecting drug users, as well as people experiencing homelessness and extreme poverty. Educating providers to meet the healthcare needs of LGBTQ+ persons and connecting those individuals to culturally competent providers was the project’s aim. Providers were recruited to participate in the cultural competency, implicit bias, and cultural humility training.

“Our goal is to provide direct access to LGBTQ-focused medical, social service, and public health services to the community and increase the capacity of providers wishing to incorporate best practices for creating inclusive spaces for all residents of Genesee County,” said Stevi Atkins, Wellness Chief Executive Officer. “These populations are disproportionately affected by poor health outcomes and often remain invisible because they continue to be left out of data collection. It is critical for providers to develop the competencies and knowledge essential to engaging and retaining these patients in care.”