As some of you may know, there was a listening sessions about LGBT health held in Washington, DC a couple months ago. In an effort to expand on that original listening session, HHS has been conducting LGBT listening sessions throughout the country to gather input and feedback on steps that HHS can take to improve the health and well-being of LGBT communities. HHS has created a document, RECOMMENDED ACTIONS TO IMPROVE LGBT HEALTH AND WELL-BEING that we urge you to review. As you know there have been opportunities to provide written input in the past as well as opportunities to participate in calls around similar issues, but now there is an opportunity to show your face and let your voice be heard in person. Not sure what to say? Talk about LGBT Cultural Competency in Funding… why it is important to be inclusive… We have two posts that you can use as a point of reference. Both the posts below are from a similar listening session held a few months ago in DC:
LGBT Cultural Competency in Funding
Letter to Secty Sebelius: Please Address LGBT Exclusion from Funding Streams
So now is the time to act! The Next listening session will take place in Houston with Atlanta to follow. Take this opportunity to show up and let your voice be heard. Below you will find the list of upcoming sessions and we will continue to update it as we get more information.
Plan on attending? We can send you print copies of the LGBT cultural Competency in Funding… Just email us at lgbthealthequity@gmail.com and we will get them out to you ASAP.
RSVP for your city’s Listening session today using the emails below…
Houston, TX Monday, December 12, 2011 1:30pm Legacy Community Health Services 1415 California Street Houston, TX 77006 RSVP: shelby.gooden@hhs.gov Atlanta, GA Tuesday, December 20, 2011 1:00pm U.S. Department of Health & Human Services Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center 61 Forsyth St SW, 2nd Floor Atlanta, GA 30303 RSVP: Ordatlanta@hhs.govPrevious Sessions took place in the following cities:
Milwaukee, WI
Phoenix, AZ
Philadelphia, PA
Portland, OR
Seattle, WA
Denver, CO
Hartford, CT
Kansas City, MO
Background From HHS Regarding the Listening Sessions:
On behalf of Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), thank you for your continued efforts to improve the health and well-being of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) populations. As you may know, last year, the President issued a Memorandum directing Secretary Sebelius to make recommendations with respect to health and human services issues that affect LGBT individuals and their families. On April 1, 2011, HHS released these recommendations and they are attached here for your reference.
As we are well on our way to implementing the set of 2011 recommendations, our work on developing a set of 2012 recommendations is underway. To that end, we invite you to provide input on potential recommendations during a listening session with HHS officials.
LGBT HealthLink, The Network for Health Equity 
Hi Folks – I work for the Colorado health department and am helping to coordinate and co-sponsor, with HHS, the Listening Session happening here in Denver on 11/15.
If anyone has friends or colleagues in the Denver area and would like to connect with our coalition that is conducting a current strategic planning effort for LGBT health in Colorado, please feel free to contact me.
I will be sure to get the above documents that the Network here has pointed us to – and circulate them to our contact list here in Colorado in advance of the HHS listening session.
Hope anyone near Denver will join us!
Julie Graves, Evaluator
Colorado Dept. of Public Health & Environment