Thursday, January 13, 2011

Elton John AIDS Foundation gives ACCESS AIDS Care a grant to develop Hampton Roads' first LGBT Service Center



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It Takes A Village...

Elton John AIDS Foundation gives ACCESS AIDS Care a grant to develop Hampton Roads' first LGBT Service Center

ACCESS AIDS Care has received funding from the Elton John AIDS Foundation to develop a community center for LGBT services in Hampton Roads. The goal of the center will be to provide services for all LGBT persons, including a comprehensive mental health component. Local survey data and recent stakeholder meetings indicated that the most critical need for the community was the creation of a "gathering place." This gathering place is needed to house support services for both LGBT persons and their significant others (eg. parents, partners) as well as educational programs around legal issues, intimate partner violence, and suicide prevention, especially for youth. Funding through EJAF will allow for the rental of project space to create the first and only LGBT service center in the region. ACCESS AIDS Care will work with community partners to create a center.
Initial groups will include those to address gender identity issues and social support; non-transitioning spouse/partner group; and an HIV+ MSM support group. Because there is no local PFLAG chapter, we intend to develop parent support services. Partnerships with high school Gay-Straight Student Alliances will allow for the development of youth services. Counseling will be provided by licensed clinicians. Individual counseling will be available at no cost to the uninsured, with development of fee-based services for those with insurance. Medical services will include those offered by our transgender clinic as well as free, rapid HIV testing within the center. This project will give the LGBT community a safe, welcoming space for services and "free community space" for its partners. Exciting news for ACCESS AIDS Care and the Hampton Roads community!


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