About In CommUNITY

In CommUNITY is an initiative dedicated to promoting health and well-being for LGBTQ+ people of all ages in Miami-Dade County.

Advocating for Equitable Healthcare Access and Quality

We are dedicated to advocating for inclusive healthcare and addressing the unique challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community. With a specific focus on chronic diseases, including HIV/AIDS and STIs, as well as mental health, our aim is to combat stigma within healthcare settings. LGBTQ+ individuals often face societal pressures and discrimination that can impact mental health. Many encounter barriers to accessing appropriate care, including difficulties in finding accepting healthcare providers. Our goal is to reduce discrimination, create welcoming healthcare environments, and provide equitable services, ultimately leading to improved healthcare outcomes for LGBTQ+ individuals, both physically and mentally.

Fostering LGBTQ+ Social and Community Inclusivity and Connection

We will focus on inclusivity and the unique challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community. We hope to create safe spaces that enable LGBTQ+ individuals to access services and programs that enrich community and social support.

Through this project we hope to increase the number of long-lasting, positive connections of the LGBTQ+ community and increase the sense of safety and belonging. Let’s all shape a future where everyone feels seen, valued, and connected.

Enhancing LGBTQ+ Data Infrastructure

Our project aims to address the lack of local data available on the LGBTQ+ community in Miami-Dade County. We recognize the importance of developing a comprehensive understanding of the needs and experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals to inform programs, services, and policies that can improve lives.

To achieve this, we are developing a sustainable shared data system, including a user-friendly data dashboard, that incorporates LGBTQ+ demographic data across various indicators. A dedicated data strategy team will work collaboratively to develop a shared data strategy, build data capacity for our partners, and ensure the sustainability of our data collection efforts.

This resource will be accessible to policymakers, researchers, health officials, and residents, enabling them to make informed decisions and guide future interventions to better support the LGBTQ+ community.

In the News

National Institutes of Health Provides Urban Health Partnerships With Award to Advance Health Equity for LGBTQ+ in Miami-Dade County

Partners and Funder

Partners

About Urban Health Partnerships (Principal)
Urban Health Partnerships’ mission is to invest in our communities by co-designing sustainable change and promoting equity and well-being across the life span. Since 2011, UHP has distinguished itself in its leadership in collective impact initiatives and by emphasizing community empowerment and integration. UHP brings a unique lens to place-based initiatives as its multidisciplinary team integrates perspectives in public and mental health, urban planning, age-friendly communities, food access, community development and engagement, and health equity to implement change. To learn more about UHP’ impact please view the 2023 annual report here, or visit urbanhp.org.

About the School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami:
Celebrating its 75th Year of Educational Excellence, the School of Nursing and Health Studies (SONHS) transforms lives and health care through education, research, innovation, and service across the hemisphere. SONHS has grown from South Florida’s first collegiate nursing program in 1948 to a world-class research-driven school conferring undergraduate and advanced degrees in nursing, as well as bachelor’s degrees in public health and health science. SONHS values its diverse faculty, students, and 250+ clinical and community health partners. The school’s research core includes a PAHO/WHO Collaborating Centre, the Center for Latino Health Research Opportunities, a Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Training Program, and its 41,000-square-foot Simulation Hospital Advancing Research and Education (S.H.A.R.E.™). For more information, visit sonhs.miami.edu.

About Collective Healing and Empowering VoicEs through Research and Engagement (¡Chévere!) Lab, University of Florida
¡Chévere! was founded in 2018 by Dr. Roberto Abreu! Under the guidance of Dr. Abreu, ¡Chévere! lab members seek to serve and liberate oppressed communities through research, mentorship, teaching, and advocacy.

¡Chévere!’s main mission is to enhance the well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals, people of Color and Indigenous people (POCI), and those who self-identify at the intersection of LGBTQ and POCI identities. At its core, ¡Chévere! explores how communities of Color use cultural values and beliefs to navigate relations, embrace, and celebrate their LGBTQ members. For more information, visit https://people.clas.ufl.edu/rabreu26/chevere-lab/.

About SAVE Foundation
SAVE Foundation is recognized as South Florida’s longest-serving organization dedicated to protecting people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) against discrimination. Since 1993, SAVE has advocated for equal rights for persons of all sexual orientations and gender identities. For more information, visit https://www.save.lgbt/.

About The Health Council of South Florida
The Health Council of South Florida (HCSF) is one of eleven local health councils created by S 408.033 to coordinate health services planning across the state. Insofar as the Health Council of South Florida has determined that health services are and must be based on a foundation of ethics, our strategic goals emphasize reducing disparities in access to care, improving health promotion, and minimizing the effects of HIV/AIDS, with an emphasis on Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. For more information, visit https://www.healthcouncil.org/.

Funder

About NIH Common Fund Community Partnerships to Advance Science for Society (ComPASS)
The NIH Common Fund’s ComPASS program is pioneering community-led research to address structural factors within communities that impact health and well-being. By empowering community organizations to tackle issues within their communities, ComPASS aims to drive innovation, promote health equity, and improve the lives of individuals and communities nationwide. These research projects focus on populations experiencing health disparities and foster collaboration between community organizations and researchers, recognizing the unique knowledge and perspectives that community organizations bring to the scientific process. The ComPASS program is funded by the NIH Common Fund and collaboratively managed by several NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices. For more information, please visit https://commonfund.nih.gov/compass.

The research reported on this website is supported by the NIH Common Fund under award number 1OT2OD035935-01.