Colorado health department to release strategic plan for LGBT community

The Colorado Department of Health and Environment will release its first-ever strategic plan focused on the health and well-being of the LGBT community tonight.

The goals of the plan include: building competent and LGBT-affirming prevention, early intervention, and health care services accessible throughout Colorado; engage LGBT Coloradans and community organizations to shift social patterns toward healthier living and improve the health and wellness systems that serve their communities; ensure LGBT-affirming policies and political actions strengthen individual and community partnerships to advance mutual aspirations; and improve Colorado LGBT-specific data and research to inform about health outcomes.

In a statement released today, the department said it worked with 45 organizations to come up with the plan.

“We have the responsibility to eliminate health disparities among the LGBT population in Colorado,” said Dr. Chris Urbina, the department’s executive director and chief medical officer. “We need to have the highest standard of healthy living for all Coloradans.”

The LGBT Health Outcomes Planning Project, funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, was led by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Julie Graves, the department’s project lead, said, “This is an important first step in understanding our resources, articulating our goals and beginning the collaborations needed to move the work forward.”

The strategic plan will be released at 5 p.m. at the Russell Pavilion inside Exempla Saint Joseph’s Hospital.

To read the plan and share with others, please visit http://bit.ly/MAelZT.