HRC unveils Healthcare Equality Index
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Human Rights Campaign has released the names of those who earned recognition as a “Leader in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality.”
A survey was conducted by the Healthcare Equality Index and recognizes facilities that meet key criteria, including foundational elements of LGBTQ patient-centered care, LGBTQ patient services and support, employee benefits and policies and LGBTQ patient and community engagement.
Those who are included from the North Carolina are: Bolivia, Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center; Burlington, Alamance Regional Medical Center; Charlotte, Novant Health Charlotte Orthopaedic Hospital, Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital, Novant Health Presbyterian Medical Center; Durham, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke University Hospital; Greensboro, Cone Health Behavioral Health Hospital, Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital, Wesley Long Hospital, Women’s Hospital of Greensboro; Huntersville, Novant Health Huntersville Medical Center; Novant Health Kernersville, Kernersville Medical Center; Matthews, Novant Health Matthews Medical Center; Raleigh, Duke Raleigh Hospital; Reidsville, Annie Penn Hospital; Salisbury, Novant Health Rowan Medical Center, W. G. (Bill) Hefner Veterans Affairs Medical Center; Thomasville, Novant Health Thomasville Medical Center; and Winston-Salem, Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center, Novant Health Medical Park Hospital, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
More information is available online about the index.
info: hrc.org.
FIA adds consulting group to efforts
HICKORY, N.C. — Faith in America (FIA) has announced that is has engaged the consulting firm of the Washington, D.C.-based Eleison Group, LLC to aid in increasing the organization’s efforts to protect the nation’s LGBTQ children and youth.
Eleison’s decade-long work has included House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, The Riverside Church, The National Cathedral, American Bridge for the 21st Century, various ballot initiatives, environmental causes and political candidates across the U.S. It was founded and run by Burns Strider and Eric Sapp.
Strider is a former senior advisor to Clinton and Pelosi, policy director for the U.S. House Democratic Caucus, and considered one of the 10 most influential progressives in the American faith community. Sapp, a graduate of Duke Divinity School, has worked for the late U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy and Congressman David Price of North Carolina. Sapp is a legislative specialist and analyst who has been crucial in the ongoing battle for affordable healthcare.
Through the three-year “Save yOur Kids” project, it will challenge bad players in the religious community, hold religious colleges and universities accountable for meeting all accreditation standards, and inform and train media on the facts and challenges facing LGBTQ children and youth, FIA said.
With the suicide rate attempt being four times greater for LGBTQ youth than that of straights — and four to six times more likely to succeed — the need for the program is more essential now than ever. FIA added that nearly half of young transgender people have seriously thought about taking their lives and one in four have tried. LGBTQ youth from condemning religious families are eight times more likely to attempt suicide than LGBTQ peers from affirming families. Approximately 520,000 (40 percent of all) homeless children are LGBTQ.
“Eric and Burns bring enormous capacity to Faith in America and the ‘Save yOur Kids’ project,” FIA Board Co-Chair Robert Hoffman shared. “Their understanding of the multi-layered religious community is substantial. They bring a perspective that is much needed and the skills and tools to empower this board and FIA to make a clear and resounding statement on behalf of our nation’s LGBTQ children and youth. We are going to make lives better for our kids and teens.”
info: faithinamerica.org.
Have news or other information? Send your press releases and updates for inclusion in our News Notes: editor@goqnotes-launch2.newspackstaging.com.
Share your news with us
Does your organization or special interest group have events or great information to share with our readers? If so, be sure to send in your information to specialassignments@goqnotes-launch2.newspackstaging.com. In the upcoming months, we’ll feature one of you in our news notes section in each issue. Are you a part of a Meetup, Yahoo or Google group and do you do something that’s really newsworthy? Do you provide a service for the community or hold fundraisers for worthy causes? Do you educate the public about LGBT issues or concerns? Of course, this is only a sampling of things we are interested in. It’s the aim of these pieces to inform, enlighten and educate our readers about what we’re doing here in the Carolinas to champion LGBT rights, as well as offer resources for those who may be interested in what your group is doing.