Stony Brook, New York, June 4, 2021 — Stony Brook Medicine is gearing up to administer the first LGBTQ+ community health needs assessment survey on Long Island. The LGBTQ+ Community Health Needs Assessment Survey is a landmark study seeking vital data that will shape the future of LGBTQ+ healthcare in Nassau and Suffolk Counties. It represents the collaborative efforts of Stony Brook Medicine, in partnership with more than 20 Long Island-based organizations and community leaders who, combined, reach all sectors of the LGBTQ+ community through advocacy programming and services.
The need for the LGBTQ+ Health Needs Assessment Survey became clear as Stony Brook Medicine began planning with Stony Brook Southampton Hospital for the medical expansion and relocation of the Edie Windsor Healthcare Center, formerly known as the David E. Rogers, M.D. Center. The mission for the Edie Windsor Center is to provide compassionate, world-class quality healthcare to the LGBTQ+ community in a culturally sensitive and safe environment. It will reopen this month as Long Island’s first comprehensive LGBTQ+ Health Center.
“There is scarce quantitative information available either nationally or regionally on the healthcare needs of LGBTQ+ persons,” said Margaret M. McGovern, MD, PhD, Knapp Professor of Pediatrics, Dean for Clinical Affairs and Vice President Health System Clinical Programs and Strategy at Stony Brook Medicine. “We engaged in a dialogue with regional healthcare providers and community-based organizations who acknowledged the significant gap in information and collaborated on survey development and administration.”
Stony Brook Southampton oversees the operations of the Edie Windsor Healthcare Center, the mission for which is to provide compassionate, world-class quality healthcare to the LGBTQ+ community in a culturally sensitive and safe environment.
“The goal of the survey is to provide members of Long Island’s LGBTQ+ community with an opportunity to state their healthcare needs so that Stony Brook Medicine and our partners can better support them and advocate on their behalf,” said Allison H. Eliscu, M.D., Medical Director of the Adolescent LGBTQ+ Care Program at Stony Brook Medicine, and Principal Investigator of the study. “The information requested in the LGBTQ+ Health Needs Assessment Survey is critical as healthcare providers, social service providers, government officials and public health staff move to expand service offerings and serve as effective advocates.”
The LGBTQ+ Health Needs Assessment Survey is online, anonymous and open to all LGBTQ+ adults age 18 years and older, including those questioning their identity, and who currently reside in either Nassau or Suffolk Counties. Eligible respondents also include college, university and technical school students on Long Island who are 18 years or older, regardless of their permanent address. The survey takes approximately 15-20 minutes to complete and the link will be distributed by the partnership organizations during “Pride Month,” from June 1 through June 30. Respondents are encouraged to forward the survey link to eligible friends and colleagues.
“We need all of those adults who identify as LGBTQ+ adults and who reside or attend school in Nassau and Suffolk Counties to participate in the LGBTQ+ Health Needs Survey,” said Gregson Pigott, MD, MPH, Commissioner of Suffolk County’s Department of Health Services. “This survey will give voice to all the sectors of Long Island’s LGBTQ+ community about their healthcare experiences and challenges and help shape the future of LGBTQ+ services on Long Island.”
To date, the LGBTQ+ Health Needs Assessment Survey Partnership includes:
Gina Caggiano, owner, BTW Bar & Grill, Oceanside
Economic Opportunity Council of Suffolk (EOC)
Edie Windsor Healthcare Center
Entertainer and advocate Jeff Livingston (stage name Annie Manildoo)
Family & Children’s Association (FCA)
The Freedman Center for Clinical Social Work
OLA of Eastern Long Island
Planned Parenthood Hudson Peconic
Long Island Crisis Center – (formerly “Pride for Youth”/PFY)
Stony Brook Medicine
Stony Brook Medicine AIDS Center
Stony Brook Medicine LGBTQ* Committee
Stony Brook Southampton Hospital
Stony Brook University Department of Pediatrics
Stony Brook University Director of Planning & Staff Development/Office of Student Affairs
Stony Brook University LGBTQ* Services Team
Stony Brook University School of Health Technology and Management
Stony Brook University – stakeholders in the student body
Suffolk County Department of Health
Suffolk County Legislator – Robert Calarco, Presiding Officer
Suffolk County Office of Minority Health
Sun River Health
Victims Information Bureau of Suffolk (VIBS)
Women’s Diversity Network
Nassau and Suffolk community members
About Stony Brook Medicine:
Stony Brook Medicine integrates and elevates all of Stony Brook University’s health-related initiatives: education, research and patient care. It includes five Health Sciences schools — Dental Medicine, Health Technology and Management, Medicine, Nursing and Social Welfare — as well as Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook Southampton Hospital, Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital and more than 200 community-based healthcare settings throughout Suffolk County. To learn more, visit www.stonybrookmedicine.edu.
About Edie Windsor Healthcare Center:
The Edie Windsor Healthcare Center provides comprehensive outpatient medical and mental health care to LGBTQ+ individuals. Rose Walton Care Services at the Edie Windsor Healthcare Center offers HIV testing and support services to people living with HIV/AIDS. Most private insurance plans, Medicare, Medicaid and ADAP Plus are accepted. No one is denied care for lack of financial resources.
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