The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center

In New York State, 8% of adults—about 1 million people—identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or gender non-conforming. Today, 25% of LGBTQ+ New Yorkers report depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues—a rate twice that of other New York residents. Other challenges, such as discrimination, stigma, and social isolation, can contribute to higher rates of mental health issues. These challenges are compounded among youth, communities of color, and low-income communities. New York City does not have enough providers who deliver affordable, accessible, and LGBTQ+-specific clinically competent mental health and substance use care and treatment. Providers that do offer LGBTQ+-focused care have months-long waiting lists. In 2024, NYHealth awarded the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center (The Center) a grant to launch the first and only LGBTQ+ comprehensive behavioral health clinic in a non-medical setting on the East Coast. 

Under this grant, The Center will provide a trusted setting for LGBTQ+ New Yorkers to access comprehensive mental health and substance use services. The Center will implement the systems needed to operate as a licensed clinic, create tailored treatment plans for marginalized patients; provide virtual and in-person individual and group mental health treatment services to community members; promote awareness of its enhanced services; and conduct outreach and share its findings, results, resources, and expertise to promote potential replication in other communities.