Leaders in LGBT Health Gather in Albany

Post by Kimberly Eisen, coordinator of the New York State LGBT Health and Human Services Network

This week, the New York State LGBT Health and Human Services Network (the Network) held its 2011 Network Annual Meeting and Retreat. The Network is a statewide coalition of over 55 LGBT-specific and LGBT-supportive non-profit groups and organizations that serve the non-HIV/AIDS-related health and human services of LGBT New Yorkers.[link to membership page on the website] Network members know from experience and thorough research that LGBT New Yorkers face unacceptable health disparities when compared with rest of the population, and are committed to closing these gaps.

The Pride Agenda, as the coordinator of the Network, hosted the retreat in Albany at the Crowne Plaza Hotel and Conference Center.

With over 35 organizations represented at the yearly planning meeting, the Network focused on reaffirming its mission of ensuring and enhancing the ability to provide needed services to LGBT communities. The work of the Network in the upcoming year will focus on increasing and maintaining public funding for LGBT health and human services, strengthening communications and collaborations among member agencies and improving the sustainability of member agencies in communities across New York State, as well as improving the vitality of the coalition.

As a group, the Network conducts its primary work in five areas – Funding Advocacy, Capacity Building and Technical Assistance, Networking and Peer Support, Membership and Cultural Competency. Each member agency participates in the creation of a work plan that reflects these priorities and addresses the health and human services needs of LGBT communities throughout New York State. Additionally, member organizations participate in issue- and population-based committees. New York State LGBT Health Month, which is held each year in March, is an example of the work that is being done in those committees.

We also had some fun! We were treated to a duet of “Don’t Go Breakin’ My Heart,” some lunch time trivia and an impromptu gathering in the hotel restaurant to watch “Dancing with the Stars.”

It’s not often that non-profit professionals have the opportunity to network in person and discuss the challenges and successes of their work. The Network Annual Meeting and Retreat has proven to be an important opportunity for statewide colleagues to work together in person on statewide collaborative initiatives.

In the end it comes down to everyday people. The service providers in the Network collectively and individually find ways to make sure all people receive the type of care they need, including LGBT people. Have you ever faced a barrier to good health because of who you are?

A message from the LGBT Health and Human Services Network

The Pride Agenda recently released its 2008-2009 Health and Human Services Report for the New York State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health and Human Services Network. Below is a message from our Network staff in Albany:

The Empire State Pride Agenda is proud to announce the publication of the 2008-2009 Annual Report of the New York State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health and Human Services Network.

Each year, the Network helps to educate the State of New York on the health needs of LGBT New Yorkers and the resources needed to address these concerns. The Network Annual Report, which is informed by data collected by LGBT service providers in NYS, reflects the programs offered by Network organizations and the types of services that are being provided across the state.

The Network is a coalition of more than 50 community-based organizations that provides non HIV services to LGBT communities across New York State. Ranging from homelessness prevention and legal assistance to youth empowerment and mental health treatment, Network organizations are providing invaluable services to hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers.

In addition to maintaining the statewide infrastructure that keeps these organizations connected, the Pride Agenda works with Network organizations to advocate for the funding needed to continue their work. Since the mid-90s, the Pride Agenda has been successful in securing over $45 million for LGBT-focused organizations.

Like many not-for-profit agencies in the state, the Network’s organizations are struggling to meet an increased demand for services, even though public resources have actually decreased. Nonprofits across the state are being asked to do more with less, and Network organizations are no exception. Network member organizations have, for the first time, reported providing services in all 62 counties of the state. The members of the Network also increased services to LGBT youth by over 15% and engaged over 2,000 volunteers in the work being done in those organizations.

Despite a tough economic climate, the Network continues to serve LGBT New Yorkers and is looking forward to a challenging and successful year ahead.

Release of Report on LGBT Health and Human Service Needs in NY State

Today, we released a first-ever assessment of LGBT health and human service needs in New York State. Ross Levi, our Director of Public Policy & Education,and Somjen Frazer, the report’s author and a Brooklyn-based researcher with expertise in LGBT issues, weigh in on some of the reports findings:

As researchers and advocates, we know that the LGBT community has unmet health and human services needs. LGBT people lag behind on seven of the ten targets set by the U.S. government to improve health nationally. We also fall behind on the New York City Take Care New York indicators. However, the disadvantage goes beyond health and human service needs—LGBT people in New York State have never before been asked about WHY these gaps exist and HOW our lives are affected.

This lack of specific information on our community is not just an academic problem; policymakers, especially those in government, demand real numbers to document the existence of problems and decide how to allocate resources to address them. In short, in this context as with so many things, knowledge equals power.

Thanks to funding from the New York State Department of Health, we have spent the last six months surveying nearly 3,500 LGBT New Yorkers, interviewing 60 experts in health and human service needs, and analyzing existing data and research. The report from this needs assessment, LGBT Health and Human Service Needs in New York State, provides hard, scientifically valid data on what our community needs for its health and well being.

This report is the first of its kind, and the Empire State Pride Agenda Foundation is excited to share some of the key findings and recommendations. In our research, done in close collaboration with the NYS LGBT Health and Human Services Network, we asked LGBT people who took our survey to tell us what THEY thought was the most pressing health and human services need in New York State; we have included some of their responses as well as our survey results.

A need for culturally competent care
As one lesbian participant said, “I would love to go to an LGBT-friendly doctor, but I don’t know where to find one. . . . It seems to be a very common problem.” 40% of LGBT people say there are not enough health professionals who are adequately trained and competent to deliver healthcare to LGBT people. 27% fear that if medical personnel found out that they are LGBT that they would be treated differently.

Increase in services for homeless LGBT youth and adults
“Housing is healthcare,” as one key expert who works with urban African American, Caribbean and Latino/a youth explained. 14% of LGBT people, and one-third of transgender New Yorkers, are or have been homeless at one time.

An expansion of social programs, especially for rural and older LGBT people
As one staff member at an urban LGBT health organization put it: “We see a huge desire among gay men for a community connection. . . . Those who have a connection to a community have better health.” Studies consistently find that socially isolated people have worse health outcomes. Social isolation is a significant problem for LGBT people, with two-thirds of rural LGBT residents saying they feel isolated from others, and over half of LGBT seniors saying they sometimes or always lack companionship. For youth, living in a rural environment requires safe and accessible transportation to these services.

Violence is an ongoing problem for LGBT people
The executive director of an LGBT center said, “I run into so many people that are used to being treated crappy, they don’t even report it.” 13% of LGBT people had experienced a serious homophobic or transphobic physical or sexual assault and only about a quarter of those who had been hit, punched or kicked in a homophobic assault had reported it.

For more information and to read the report, click here.

Help shape LGBT health and human services in New York State!

Take a short survey on LGBT health and human services issues at www.nylgbtsurvey.org and be a part of a historic statewide effort—the first in New York and perhaps the nation—to research and document the needs of LGBT New Yorkers to ensure those needs don’t go unaddressed by government and health and human service providers. The information you provide will go toward fighting for policy changes and funding to make services to LGBT people in New York equitable and LGBT-friendly.

This survey is open to all LGBT New Yorkers ages 18 and over, and should take only 10 minutes to complete. Please take the survey only once by Monday, April 20.

All participants are eligible to enter for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card with your completed survey! Information provided for the raffle will be confidential and not linked to your survey responses.

For more information or to receive paper surveys, e-mail Kimberly Eisen at keisen@prideagenda.org.

This survey is a project of the Empire State Pride Agenda, the NYS LGBT Health and Human Services Network, and Somjen Frazer Consulting.

A message from the LGBT Health and Human Services Network

The Pride Agenda recently released its 2007-2008 Annual Report for the New York State Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health and Human Services Network. The Network is a coalition of over fifty member organizations who provide non-HIV related services to LGBT New Yorkers across the state. Below is a message from our Network Coordinators in Albany:

Each year the Network educates the State of New York on the health needs of LGBT New Yorkers and how the State needs to provide more resources to address these concerns. The Network Annual Report reflects who the Network serves, what types of programs are offered by member organizations, and how far-reaching the Network is across New York State.

Network members serve LGBT New Yorkers in many ways, including programs that focus on advocacy, clinical services, and health and wellness for LGBT seniors. Some of our member organizations provide services in the legal world ranging from offering direct legal representation and working on precedent-setting lawsuits to heading policy initiatives focusing on anti-discrimination. Another area covered by many of our members is LGBT people of color issues, including anti-violence programs, education and prevention services, community organizing to create change, and family wellness.

Because of the hard work of the Empire State Pride Agenda in conjunction with the Network, LGBT service providers have secured over $40 million in total through the State to fund these programs since the Network was first created in the mid-90s.

In addition to providing these crucial services to local LGBT populations, the Network also works with the State to develop more LGBT-friendly policies. Over the past year, we’ve worked with the Office of Children and Family Services to create safer spaces for LGBT youth in juvenile justice facilities and the Office of the Aging to ensure that LGBT seniors are receiving more competent care. These are just two examples of how LGBT organizations can come together to make a huge difference in the quality of life for thousands of LGBT New Yorkers.

The Network looks forward to a successful and challenging year ahead.

So...how did the budget accommodate LGBT people?

Many LGBT health and human services organizations across New York State depend on assistance both from the Governor’s executive budget and the Assembly Majority’s discretionary fund each year to keep their doors open. We learned today that, in addition to Gov. Spitzer’s $6 million executive budget allocation (announced in January), the Assembly Majority has contributed another roughly $1.3 million and Gov. Spitzer added another $675,000 to fund members of the New York State LGBT Health & Human Services network. The roughly $8 million total is a 60 percent increase from the highest previous amount provided by the state to these essential organizations. This is a big (and needed) boost for New York’s LGBT support services.

More here on what kinds of services these orgs provide.