A free, monthly drop-in night for lesbian and bisexual women is launching at the end of January.
The Lesbian Community Care Project ( LCCP ) , a program of Howard Brown Health Center, announced that starting Jan. 30, medical and mental screenings and services for lesbian and bisexual women will be available during a free drop-in night the last Wednesday of each month. Not only will health providers be available for screenings and services from 6-8 p.m., but each month will also feature an informal discussion of a specific topic from 6-7 p.m.
LCCP hopes to provide a comfortable, informal environment for women to learn more about health issues that impact them and get the care that they need.
'For lesbians, and queers in general, healthcare is always within the community,' LCCP Director Cat Jefcoat said. 'This will be a very informal environment about some great issues. We can present them in a way that is relevant to lesbians.'
January's topic will be cervical cancer and HPV, which impacts one in four lesbians. Each month will feature a different topic relevant to the lesbian and bisexual women's community. Future topics may include other issues pertinent to the LGBT community, such as substance abuse and nutrition.
'The message is, let's get you taken care of,' Jefcoat said, 'and not divorce your identity from your heathcare.'
No appointment or RSVP is necessary for the drop-in night, and services and screenings are provided on a first-come, first-serve basis. For those who can't make it to the monthly drop-in night, breast and cervical exams are always free at LCCP. Other screenings and services are provided on a sliding scale.
LCCP is located at Howard Brown Health Center, 4025 N. Sheridan. See www.lccp.org .