Our Projects
framework
We continue to carry out our vision to improve health equity within the LGBTQ+ community. The below principles form the foundation of all of our projects and programs.
Encouraging originality and opening doors for
individuals
Continuing the conversation within
communities
Connecting resources & ensuring equity within
systems
In progress
Health education series
Each month , speakers within healthcare present on various topics pertaining to LGBTQ+ health. Since trust was listed as one of the top five problems within LGBTQ+ spaces, our hope is to bridge trust between healthcare providers and LGBTQ+ community members.
Doxy/pep toolkit
Continuing to lean into the successes of the PrEP/HIV Toolkit additions are currently underway to construct and raise up resources for community members for STI prevention via Doxy/PEP. Not to worry our healthcare team members will have resources tailored to meet them where they are as well. These will also feature seamless transition of information across these isles.
The Red Ribbon Mixed Tapes Project began after witnessing an exchange of experiences between a nurse who had delivered care during the early years of AIDS/HIV’s appearance on scene and a community member who lost their partner to AIDS. This project aims to conserve and preserve these stories. This project will capture personal journeys through this part of our history while acting to prevent history from repeating itself or being erased, act to bust myths, and disrupt current biases and misinformation continuing to contribute to stigmas surrounding HIV and AIDS as well as those delivering care to this community. These stories will later be made available on a Red Ribbon Mixed Tapes webpage housed here for global reach.
Red Ribbons Mixed Tapes
Completed/Launched gallery
PrEP & Hiv toolkit
The PrEP and HIV Toolkit was created by Jay Knight and Ella Lafata. This toolkit was designed for community members and healthcare providers to understand HIV risk, understand the utility of PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), a HIV antiretroviral medication, and to support informed decision-making.
Master’s thesis project
The Consortium mentored and sponsored Juliana Keeney for her Master’s Thesis Project. Keeney focused on epidemiology and highlighted advocacy work to close gaps in care. Statistics were gathered from the analysis “2019 National Health Interview Survey Respondents.” Keeney notes that there are limitations to this study such as having a 2 gender category, the absence of transgender data, and limited sexual orientation data. Unless noted, the results were statistically significant.
LGBTQ+ Health Archive
Are you looking for content about contraception, LGBTQ+ Health, HIV prevention, STI Guidelines or something else previously available and struggling to locate it?
Health Experience Survey
The Consortium consistently collects data from the Grand Rapids area to make sure our projects and efforts reflect community needs. One attempt to do so includes the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Experiences in Grand Rapids Survey. This ongoing survey provides an opportunity for all voices to be heard.
FOOD 4 HEALTH
Food for Health was developed in response to findings from the Grand Rapids Community Health Assessment and a study by UCLA's Williams Institute in July 2022, which underscored high levels of food insecurity among LGBTQ+ individuals. This initiative serves as a crucial resource, offering access to food distribution and assistance, alongside nutritious recipes that incorporate items typically found in food baskets, pantries, food clubs, and dollar stores.
This workgroup brings representatives from the various Medicaid plans and healthcare providers to discuss barriers for care LGBTQIA individuals face, and look for ways to remove these barriers while streamlining care.
Provider/insurance workgroup
Dessemination Efforts
We continue to look for opportunities to partner, share, and develop professional connections across the healthcare ecosystem and more. This includes presenting at various professional conferences as we seek to close gaps in knowledge and care.
Past speaking engagements: Michigan Chpt.: American Psychiatric Nurses Association, American Health Information Management Association’s Assembly on Education Symposium, and the Michigan Primary Care Association Annual Conference, the National LGBTQ+ Health Conference, and GLMA's Annual Conference on LGBTQ+ Health.
Upcoming speaking engagements: The Gold Humanism Summit in Sept. 2025.
Coming soon
Sexual health Toolkit
Coming soon: the Sexual Health Toolkit! This toolkit will be available for patients and providers to gain access to sexual health and STI resources.
Best Practice Alert - PrEP and HIV Risk
Coming soon: the PrEP/HIV Toolkit is getting a new addition! The Best Practice Alert (BPA) designed to raise up awareness for individuals that would benefit from an HIV risk reduction therapy including PrEP. This BPA will be designed with evidence and research in mind an ready to plug and play in any EHR.
Councils & Committies
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Community Connector
Health Equity Council
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Patient Advisory Council
