About The LGBTQ+ Health Equity Project
The LGBTQ+ Health Equity Project (Pride HEP) is a navigation and wellness program to help LGBTQ+ community members more easily connect with LGBTQ+-affirming healthcare and wellness providers that identify on the queer spectrum or are LGBTQ+-affirming and supportive in order to reduce stigma and increase access.
Goals of the LGBTQ+ Health Equity Project
The Pride Lafayette LGBTQ+ Health Equity Project, which seeks to decrease LGBTQ+ health inequities and bridge the gap between the county’s LGBTQ+ population and healthcare providers, has four primary goals:
• Build out a referral network of regional health care providers who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community or have verified that that are LGBTQ+-affirming providers and increase interactions with these health care messengers and providers.
• Raise awareness and encourage self-monitoring of chronic health conditions (most especially hypertension and diabetes), educate the queer community about leading health indicators of those conditions, and refer to affirming health care providers.
• Increase community-wide awareness of HIV and STI prevention and accessible/free HIV and STI testing resources.
• Encourage and increase health, wellness, and self-care opportunities through community partnerships to provide LGBTQ+-focused fitness spaces.
Visit with a Community Health Worker
Curious about your blood pressure? Want to know more about how to prevent hypertension and diabetes? Looking for information about HIV and STI testing?
Stop by the Pride Lafayette Community Center Monday-Friday 10am-12p starting (exact date coming soon!) for basic health screenings. No appointment necessary. All screenings are anonymous (though all clients will be asked to answer some survey questions as part of our ongoing data research._
The LGBTQ+ Health Equity Project seeks to achieve its goals by providing:
• Quarterly community surveys to gauge the healthcare needs of the community.
• Weekly office hours by certified community health workers (CHW) who can provide basic blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar screenings and provide navigation to LGBTQ+-affirming healthcare providers.
• Monthly Wellness Clinics, including a Wellness Center anchored by IU Health at our OUTFest pride festival, staffed by medical professionals to provide basic screenings, referrals, and the opportunity to engage with trusted healthcare messengers about issues and concerns.
• Leverage community partnerships with area bars and other organizations to distribute safe sex kits that will also contain information about the importance of regular HIV and STI testing and provide access to regional testing resources.
• Coordinate with local wellness businesses to host monthly LGBTQ-focused group fitness and yoga classes, providing a safe and affirming space for members of the queer community to engage with these fitness resources.
• Community Health Survey: Working with a team at the Health Technical Assistance Program at Purdue (Purdue HealthTAP), Pride Lafayette is fielded a series of quarterly community health surveys to provide baseline data insights and, later in the year, examine the impact of the Pride HEP. The data from these surveys will also identify areas for potential future program expansion.
• CHW Office Hours: Establishing regular office hours for certified community health workers, including distribution of blood pressure monitors to high-risk individuals and lower income families.
• Wellness Clinics: Identifying licensed medical professionals to conduct client assessments and refer for appropriate clinical care as part the project’s monthly Wellness Clinics. Building on Pride Lafayette’s long-time partnership with IU Health, we are working to identify medical residents who may also be available to volunteer clinic hours.
• “Be Safe” Packets: Working with community organizations, bars, and restaurants, Pride Lafayette is distributing 1,000 “Be Safe” Packets every month. The packets include two condoms, two lubricant sachets, and a business card that directs people to information on the Pride Lafayette website about HIV/STI prevention, as well as free or low-cost testing resources available in the county.
• HIV Education Seminars: With our partner organization, HIV Pathways, planning for a quarterly HIV 101 seminar series has started. These seminars will feature guest speakers and discussions about how HIV is spread, reducing stigma, and encouraging regular testing.
• Trans Resource Fairs: Building on the success of Pride Lafayette’s existing resource fair series, a second Trans Resource Fair is being added, providing one in the spring and one in the fall. These fairs connect trans and gender nonconforming community members with area resources, including physical and mental healthcare providers, affirming organizations, and supportive businesses. Leveraging existing partnerships, the fairs this year will also feature legal aid and insurance navigation.