The LGBT Health and Wellness Program is dedicated to promoting the health and well being of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Staten Island residents and their family members in a safe, friendly, nonjudgmental and supportive environment. We provide education on HIV/AIDS, general health and LGBT diversity / sensitivity issues, support groups and counseling, opportunities for community involvement and social events for the LGBT community and our allies.We utilize input from the community itself in an effort to identify and meet the needs of LGBT Staten Islanders.
Education and Referral Assistance:
Education on AIDS in a Gay and Lesbian Environment (EAGLE) Program:
This program provides education on HIV/AIDS for the LGBT community with the goals of decreasing risk behaviors, increasing awareness of prevention practices, and providing the necessary skills to reduce risk of HIV infection. Services include health education workshops focusing on HIV/AIDS and community outreach specific to the LGBT community.
Health Education Forums: These community forums conducted by a health educator provide information on overall health and wellness to the LGBT community on Staten Island. Topics include prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections and self-examination procedures. The workshops are free and open to anyone interested in health information for these populations.
Diversity Training: These forums focus on increasing the sensitivity and knowledge of LGBT issues among health / medical, social service and education professionals to promote open and honest dialogue with the clients they serve. The workshops assist health and social service professionals to develop sensitivity to the issues faced by LGBT community members and to provide them with effective strategies to address institutional barriers faced by this population
Information and Referral: Counselors are located at three Community Health Action sites to provide information and referral via Help line, Internet, and walk in assistance.We provide assistance with social service, primary care, legal and other supportive information resources to the LGBT community.
Community Involvement and Social Events:
We host a variety of special events throughout the year to help community members come together and increase the community’s visibility in the borough. These events include a Pride Parade and Festival in June, Coming Out Day Picnic in October, Dinner Dances, Poetry Jams for LGBT youth, monthly social gatherings at a local coffee house and monthly movie nights.
Community Advisory Group: A committee of volunteer LGBT community members assists with general program development and services to ensure that we identify and meet the needs of LGBT Staten Islanders.
Mpowerment Project:
Mpowerment is a group of young gay, bisexual and curious men (ages 18-29) working together to build a stronger, more supportive community on Staten Island. This project mobilizes young gay/bi/curious men to shape a healthy community for themselves, build positive social connections, and encourage their friends to have safer sex. This peer run program reaches these goals through organized discussion groups, outreach and large events such as dances and theme socials for this target population.
Support groups And Counseling:
Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG): The agency hosts the monthly meeting of the Staten Island chapter of PFLAG, which provides a safe and friendly place to provide and receive support, share our thoughts and feelings and learn from each other. PFLAG is an all-volunteer group made up of parents, family and friends of someone who is lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. Other members of the LGBT community are welcome to join.
Prison Issues Committee (PIC): This weekly group held at Arthur Kill Correctional Facility focuses on relationship issues and the personal safety factors that surround prison relationships. Group members are able to use this group to negotiate coming out, disclosing sexuality, and safer sexual behaviors in a prison environment.
Rainbow Families: This monthly group, co-sponsored by the Staten Island Children’s Museum, provides a setting where children of LGBT parents (infants through teens) come together for fun and support with others in similar living situations. In addition to the social benefit for the children, the Rainbow Families group provides the opportunity for the parents to sit down and discuss issues unique to parenting as LGBT community members.
Rainbow and Friends: The agency hosts a weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meeting geared directed toward LGBT individuals. Meeting attendants gather in a safe space to provide and receive support, share thoughts and feelings and learn from each other.
Safe Space: This weekly program provides LGBT youth 13-17 years old, with the opportunity to explore and address questions about sexual orientation, gender identity, and other issues relevant to healthy development in a welcoming and caring environment. Safe Space combines peer identification and socialization with clinical support.
Supportive Services for HIV+ Gay Men:
We offer free and confidential group and individual counseling for HIV+ men who have sex with men. Topics discussed: relationships, coming out, HIV disclosure, self-esteem, anxiety, depression and more.
For more information about our services, Contact us at (718) 808-1300 or Email us at LGBT@sihealthaction.org
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