National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Health Awareness Week

CONTACT
Roberta Sklar, Director of Communications
646-358-1465
rsklar@TheTaskForce.org
http://www.TheTaskForce.org
March 14, 2005


National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Health Awareness Week
Task Force Calls for New Focus and Resources

Washington, DC — In conjunction with the start of the third annual National Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Health Awareness Week (March 13-19, 2005), the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force urged a new focus on new resources to meet the health and human service needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people.

"Our community's health and human services needs are grossly underserved, with gay Americans essentially being cheated out of their tax dollars," said Matt Foreman, Executive Director of the Task Force. "We salute the work of National Coalition for LGBT Health for focusing on these inequities and look forward to working with the coalition in getting government to address our community’s urgent and unmet needs."

According to the National Coalition for LGBT Health, National LGBT Health Awareness Week is designed to:

Raise public awareness of the unique health concerns, as well as the very real health disparities, among LGBT communities


Educate the LGBT health communities about the health issues that are present in LGBT communities, since there is a belief that awareness in these communities must be significantly improved

Provide community health centers, local organizations and community representatives with tools to amplify the national campaign at local levels

Educate medical and health care professionals in the area of cultural competency with regard to LGBT health

National LGBT Health Awareness Week kicks off in Washington, DC, with strategy meetings, lobbying and hill briefings, including Lobby Days at HHS on Tuesday, March 15th.

"During this week, events all around the country to raise the visibility and awareness of the many health issues impacting our communities," explained Donald Hitchcock, national field director, National Coalition for LGBT Health. "We need to educate ourselves, our families, and our law makers and we thank the Task Force for being a strong member of the Coalition and joining us in this national effort."