To receive credit, a facility must:

Upload a copy of the diversity plan or strategy that includes LGBTQ+ patients. This can be a standalone plan for LGBTQ+ health or it can be part of a larger disparities plan. At a minimum, the plan must list the strategies that will be employed to improve LGBTQ+ health and/or must recognize sexual and gender minorities as a population that experiences health disparities with a commitment to address those disparities.

More information:

In 2013, the Office of Minority Health (OMH) of the US Department of Health and Human Services released the new National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health and Health Care (the National CLAS Standards), which are intended to advance health equity, improve quality and help eliminate healthcare disparities by providing a blueprint for individuals and health and healthcare organizations to implement culturally and linguistically appropriate services. The CLAS Standards are a nationally recognized and utilized tool for culturally competent healthcare.

The new CLAS standards fully incorporate the concerns of LGBTQ+ people into the framework of culturally and linguistically appropriate care and specifically include sexual orientation and gender identity in their broader definition of culture. OMH’s accompanying publication, “A Blueprint for Advancing and Sustaining CLAS Policy and Practice,” also shares examples of health disparities experienced by LGBTQ+ people and includes specific reference to LGBTQ+ health in many of the standards. One of the standards encourages healthcare organizations to conduct ongoing assessments of the organization's CLAS-related activities and integrate CLAS-related measures into continuous quality improvement activities.

Examples:

• With three specific goals, Saint Luke’s Health System’s plan to reduce LGBTQ+ health disparities also includes increased LGBTQ+ representation in governance and leadership.
• The University of Pennsylvania Health System has an excellent LGBT-specific strategic plan.
• Read NYC Health + Hospitals’ Plan to Enhance Equitable Care which integrates sexual orientation and gender identity throughout the plan.
• H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute has integrated LGBTQ+ inclusion into their Framework for Improving Effective Communication, Cultural Competence, and Patient-Centered Care across the Care Continuum.

To receive credit, a facility must:

Describe the role of this committee and/or provide a web address that provides this description.

More information:

Read this article, Equality in Healthcare: The Formation and Ongoing Legacy of an LGBT Advisory Council which was originally published in the journal LGBT Health.

Examples:

• New York City Health and Hospitals – Bellevue created a LGBT Patient & Family Advisory Council. See their brochure to read about the council’s mission and activities.
• Learn more about the Patient and Family Advisory Council for Gender and Sexuality at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in this post and video.
• LAC-USC Medical Center formed an advisory group called “LGBT Thrive” to improve LGBT patient-centered care.

To receive credit, a facility must:

Provide either a weblink or upload a document showing where LGBTQ+ patients will find your provider directory, listing of LGBTQ+ friendly providers or LGBTQ+ specific referral line information.

More information:

Directories may be a facility, health system or community specific listing. Clinics need to be listed on the hospital or health system website and the contact and process for receiving referrals must be publicly promoted. Organizations can create their own online referral system or directory to tag LGBTQ+-friendly providers at their facility or within their system or community.

• Penn Medicine has an LGBT Patient Services Handbook, which has a list of providers with expertise in LGBT health and information on important LGBT health topics.
• The Columbus Public Health Department participates in the Greater Columbus LGBTQ+ Health Coalition that produces an annual Pride Provider Directory.
• The LGBT+ Service Directory flyer by NYC Health and Hospitals – Bellevue lists LGBTQ+-specific health providers in one comprehensive document.

Organizations can also provide information about their LGBTQ+ specialty clinics:

• The Cleveland Clinic has information about their Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Care which offers services at two different primary care health centers on a page about LGBT Health.
• This webpage provides information about the services offered by The Pride Clinic of the MetroHealth System.

To receive credit, a facility must:

Provide a link to webpage(s) and/or upload brochures/flyers promoting HIV specific services.

More information:

Services offered must include one or more of the following:

• HIV/STD/STI testing and counseling
• Provision of PrEP and/or PEP for patients at risk for HIV
• HIV care and services

Examples.

• UPMC uses flyers to promote their HIV testing and PrEP services.
• Adagio Health has a webpage with information about their same-day PrEP services.
• USC Student Health highlights a variety of options for HIV testing.

To receive credit, a facility must:

Provide a link to webpage(s) and/or upload of brochures/flyers promoting these services.

More information:

Services offered must include one or more of the following:

• LGBTQ+ focused mental health services
• LGBTQ+ focused alcohol and substance use treatment
• LGBTQ+ family building assisted reproductive treatment

By “LGBTQ+ Focused,” we mean programs that are specifically directed to and tailored for the LGBTQ+ population—NOT just inclusion of LGBTQ+ people in existing programs.

Examples:

• Aspire Fertility offers inclusive and comprehensive fertility services specifically for LGBTQ+ individuals and families.
• OneWorld Community Health Centers provides healthcare treatment designed to fit the health needs of their LGBTQ+ patients such as behavioral and sexual health services.
• CrecentCare has tailored many of their services towards the LGBTQ+ community.

To receive credit, a facility must:

Provide a link to webpage(s) and/or upload of brochure/flyer promoting the LGBTQ+ specific clinic.

More information:

Alex Gonzalez, MD, MPH, medical director of Fenway Health explains that “Health care environments that are not affirmative or inclusive leads to bad experiences for patients, which in turn leads patients to withhold important information about themselves in future visits or, even worse, stop accessing health care altogether.” Creating an intentional space for LGBTQ+ healthcare offers a safer environment for the community to engage with medical facilities and providers.

Examples:

• Cleveland Clinic’s Center for LGBT Care offers a wide array of services ranging from behavioral health to transition-specific services.
• Einstein Medical Center Philadelphia demonstrates how they provide affirming LGBTQ+ care through their Pride Program
• The Pride Health Center at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan focuses on serving the health needs of the LGBTQ+ community with respect and dignity.
• The Vanderbilt University Medical Center Program for LGBTQ Health works to address LGBTQ+ health disparities by improving the health of their LGBTQ+ patients and through education and research.

To receive credit, a facility must:

Provide a link to website where this externally-facing office/person is promoted or upload materials that demonstrate how this office/person is promoted.

Examples:

• Mount Sinai Beth Israel has an office of LGBT Health Services. Visit their website to learn more about the services they offer LGBTQ+ patients.
• Rush Medicine has two licensed clinical social workers available to help LGBTQ+ patients, visitors, employees and students navigate resources within Rush and the broader community which are promoted on this webpage about their commitment to LGBTQ+ healthcare.
• All of the Veterans Health Administration facilities have identified LGBT Veteran Care Coordinators that are typically promoted on facility webpage about LGBT care such as this one from the Edward Hines, Jr. VA Hospital.

To receive credit, a facility must:

Provide a website link for a specific landing page focused on LGBTQ+ health issues.

More information:

Below are examples of free materials available to download that you can distribute at your organization:

• GLMA: Health Professionals Advancing LGBT Equality provides four different pamphlets listing the “Top Ten Issues to Discuss with Your Healthcare Provider” for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgender persons. All four pamphlets are available to download as PDFs.
• The American Heart Association has two LGBTQ+ specific brochures available for download as PDFs:
  • American Heart Association: How Can I Quit Smoking?
  • American Heart Association: How Can I Handle the Stress of Not Smoking?
• The American Cancer Society has three LGBTQ+ specific brochures available for download as PDFs:
  • American Cancer Society: Tobacco & the GLBT Community
  • American Cancer Society: Cancer Facts for Gay & Bisexual Men, also available in Spanish
  • American Cancer Society: Cancer Facts for Lesbians & Bisexual Women, also available in Spanish
• The National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center at The Fenway Institute has a variety of patient handouts, available to download in both Spanish and English.
  
• Download HRC’s and Greater than AIDS HIV/AIDS Resource Guide.

Examples:

• VA Palo Alto Health Care System has a webpage welcoming LGBT veterans, providing veteran specific LGBTQ+ information, resources for staff, and a section on their HEI Leader status.
• Jackson Health System has an LGBT page that affirms their commitment to the LGBTQ+ community, highlights specific services, and offers various resources.
• The LGBT Health Program at Penn Medicine has an extensive website with a variety of information about the LGBTQ+ specific work they do, as well as resources available to patients.

To receive credit, a facility must:

Provide a copy of these print materials. These materials must be specifically developed by the facility or system to reach out to LGBTQ+ patients.

Examples:

• City of Hope National Medical Center’s Diversity Resource group created materials to inform the LGBTQ+ community about cancer prevention tips.
• The VA's LGBT Health Program offers various fact sheets for different LGBT communities regarding LGBT healthcare in the VA.

To receive credit, a facility must:

Provide a copy of slides or handouts from new hire training that show how these policies are covered. The materials should include definitions of sexual orientation and gender identity along with examples/scenarios of how the patient nondiscrimination and equal visitation policies should be implemented

Examples:

• University of Michigan - West includes the patients rights and equal visitation as a part of a learning module and makes sure to quiz on the information provided.