NYC Health + Hospitals held a rainbow ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 15 to commence the opening of the Jacobi Pride Health Center in the Bronx.
The Jacobi Pride Health Center will be housed within building eight on the first floor of Jacobi Hospital at 1400 Pelham Parkway in the South Bronx. The center will provide patients across the LGBTQ spectrum with LGBTQ-competent services, including primary healthcare, reproductive and family planning services, HIV and STI testing, mental health support, and access to PrEP as well as gender-affirming hormone therapy, officials said in a press release.
NYC Health + Hospitals Chief Diversity Officer Matilde Roman said the center aims to provide “culturally sensitive” care for the LGBTQ community.
“This group of patients has been excluded from competent care for far too long, and we recognize our responsibility to make sure to provide a welcoming environment that affirms their right to receive expert care they need most,” Roman said in a written statement.
City Councilmember Kevin C. Riley of the Bronx believes this could help close gaps in health care.
“Ensuring every member of our community has access to proper healthcare should no longer be optional,” Riley said in a written statement. “This new center paves the way to uphold equity in our medical system and advocate for human rights by providing safe and accessible health resources for the LGBTQ community.”
Earlier this year, a Williams Institute report revealed that 71 percent of Black queer adults said they were “out” as LGBTQ to their healthcare providers. However, others chose to conceal their LGBTQ status due to fears of discrimination. Among this group, Black transgender respondents said they were more likely to hide their gender identity because of rampant transphobia.
Jacobi Pride Health Center joins several other LGBTQ health centers in the NYC Health +Hospitals system, including NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln, which opened an integrated gender-affirming practice in June.
The Pride Health Center is open on Thursdays afternoons from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
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