LBT women in the South Florida counties Dade, Broward and Palm Beach now have a resource to find health care without fear and social stigma. The Pride Center's Tri-County LBT Women's Health Initiative, funded by Aqua Foundation for Women, has developed an online, searchable database directory that provides tools for LBT health consumers.
"The creation of a health directory for LBT women has been discussed for many, many years in our community," says Robin Schwartz, Executive Director of Aqua. "There is no doubt having access to the information provided in the directory will save lives."
The program has been spearheaded by the Pride Center in collaboration with Women in Network (WIN), BLAST and SunServe to develop, organize and market the resource.
"We're collaborating with dynamic groups and leaders who have dedicated years of energy, passion and service to the health of LBT women,” says Kristofer Fegenbush, Deputy Director of the Pride Center. “All of us are committed to improving access to healthcare for women. We all are thankful to Aqua for backing this vision with their dollars."
The online directory contains over 300 health care practitioners in Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, including gynecologists, primary care physicians, and mental health professionals who work with LBT women patients. The Initiative established a vetting process to ensure that providers demonstrate standards of evident cultural competency. The user-friendly online directory also includes information on insurance accepted by providers, and free and low-cost health providers.
"This directory is a vital need within the LBT women's community," according to Denise Spivak, President of Women in Network. "LBT women so often do not seek out medical care, for reasons that include discrimination, lack of understanding and lack of insurance. Having a resource that says to the community 'these medical professionals understand and will treat you with care and respect' speaks volumes and, hopefully, will make a profound difference in the way that LBT women view health care."
To visit the new directory or to submit your favorite LBT friendly doctor visit www.lbthealth.org.
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