Committee Leaders:
Tim Singer, MD (he/him/his)
Lou Weaver (he/him/his)
To learn more or contribute, please contact the committee leader(s) via email:
Unacceptable Reality
LGBTQIA+ people in Texas and across the United States remain under threat and are marginalized despite continued progress towards equality. Healthcare providers are positioned to support the equality and health of our LGBTQIA+ patients through culturally competent healthcare and patient advocacy. Without universal availability of culturally competent healthcare, health disparities among LGBTQIA+ people will persist. The marginalization of LGBTQIA+ people results in lapses and denials of healthcare coverage, delays in care, and provision of substandard medicine.
LGBTQIA+ in Texas
- Population of Texas: 29 million
- LGBT adults: ~873,000 (4.1%)
- LGBT children: ~160,000 (0.02%)
- % of LGBT individuals raising children: 31%
- Resources:
Resources:
Movement Advancement Project – www.lgbtmap.org
Williams Institute UCLA – www.williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu
- Established a DFC LGBTQIA working group
- Hosted first DFC Forum, October 2018 – 50 attendees
- Attended DFC Advocacy Day, April 2019 – House State Affairs Committee
Objective: Establish the committee as a resource for providers to create LGBTQIA+ inclusive health care environments
Minor objectives – resource update for DFC website
Major objectives – Carry out a survey Texas medical schools on current practices and gaps in Queer Health competencies in undergraduate medical education and support curricular designers in advancing Queer Health education for trainees.
Objective: Encourage local providers to become Queer Health champions in their practices, build relationships across organizations for public policy advocacy looking forward to the 2021 Legislative Session
Minor objectives – Communication with DFC membership about Queer Health
Major objectives – Partner with ‘Clinic to Capital’ Baylor College of Medicine students to develop a white paper policy brief to support protections for healthcare providers caring for Queer patients in advance of the 2021 Texas Legislative Session.
Objective: Consult/partner with hospitals and providers in Houston/TX to meet Human Rights Campaign Healthcare Equality Index Standards
- Minor objective
- Supporting HRC to increase participation in the HEI survey
- Major objective
- Carry out a survey of clinical practitioners in Texas regarding LGBTQ-sensitive/competent care to identify current perceptions, practices, gaps, and needs to increase comfort and cultural competence while working with Queer patients
- Minor objective: Advance Queer Health awareness and support among DFC members including participation in events of partner organizations. Major objective: Develop strategic partnerships across Texas to advance Queer Rights and Health.
Photos courtesy of Dr. Singer, Chair of Queer Health Committee