An every growing body of research can help you to learn more about culturally competent care, why it is so important, and steps that you can take to make your patients feel welcome. Use this information to learn more about these issues and how they impact your practice, office or hospital by checking out the links below.
We acknowledge that this is by no means a comprehensive list of resources and that links may become out of date without our knowledge. If you notice a link that no longer works or have suggestions for something that we should consider please contact info@straightforequality.org!
Additional Resources on Cultural Competency/Inclusion:
Seattle & King County's Recommendations for Providing Culturally Competent Healthcare
Contains general tips healthcare providers can use to put their GLBT patients at ease.
Gender and Sexual Diversity Learning Module
This Canadian site provides a comprehensive, interactive online module good for all healthcare providers, showcasing the importance of being culturally competent while giving mini lessons on things like GLBT insider language, gay culture, and common health concerns in the GLBT community.
The Fenway Guide to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health
A textbook entirely devoted to GLBT issues in healthcare. Though it is quite long, it is an exhaustive resource.
Healthy People
Recommendations to the U.S. government for how to treat GLBT people, their specific health concerns, and how to provide culturally competent care to the GLBT population.
Transcultural Nursing Society
TNS encourage cultural competence in practice, research, education, and administration by supporting scholarship and developing strategies to advocate for social change.
Minority Nurse
This page has resources about GLBT patients, as well as resources for GLBT nurses. The site also has many more resources for many different underrepresented patients and nurses.
Medical Therapy and Health Maintenance for Transgender Men: A Guide For Health Care Providers
This guide is a healthcare provider handbook for understanding medical issues surrounding transgender men which includes a discussion of hormone therapy, sex reassignment surgery and other treatment options.
Nonprofit Organizations:
The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association (GLMA)
GLMA's mission is to ensure equality in health care for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals and health care providers.
The National Coalition for LGBT Health
The Coalition is committed to improving the health and well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals through federal advocacy that is focused on research, policy, education, and training.
The Mautner Project
A great organization and website all about treating lesbian, bisexual and transgender women. Also, check out their “Removing the Barriers” training for healthcare providers – you can complete the online course for 2 CEU, CME, or CNE credits!
Human Rights Campaign's Healthcare Equality Index
The HEI surveyed many hospitals looking for five main policy criteria: patient non-discrimination, visitation, decision making, cultural competency training and employment policies and benefits. This is a great place to find out what policies are in place at your hospital.
The SafeGuards Project
The Gay Affirmative Practice Scale is a self-assessment tool for social workers on how they regard GLBT people and issues. The site where this tool is located has other great resources for healthcare providers.
Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders (SAGE)
SAGE is a great resource for GLBT elders, their caregivers, and their loved ones. Based in New York City, they provide direct services to GLBT elders as well as training programs for healthcare providers. And they can serve as a good resource for any healthcare providers’ questions on GLBT aging issues.
Policy Statements Regarding Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity:
American Medical Association (AMA)
GLBT advisory committee and the AMA’s policy statements on GLBT healthcare.
American Medical Student Association (AMSA)
Specifically for medical students, the American Medical Student Association (AMSA)’s Committee on Gender and Sexuality is a cross-discipline group that aims to support GLBT and women patients.
American Academy of Pediatrics
The AAP is supportive of GLBT people adopting and parenting children.
American Nurses Association
The ANA is committed to addressing discrimination of any kind in nursing, education, practice, and in the organizations where nurses work.
American School Nurses Association
NASN believes that all students are entitled to a safe environment that is conducive to academic achievement regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
American Psychological Association
The APA’s page (with extensive resources, articles, and links) on all aspects of sexuality, including sexual orientation and gender identity.
The Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists
A site not only for GLBT psychiatrists, but also straight allies in the psychiatric field.
National Association of Social Workers
What social workers need to know about GLBT issues.