Care Resource has achieved the status of serving as a 2024 high performer in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality (HEI) for offering inclusive and accessible LGBTQ+ patient care services and for ensuring foundational non-discriminatory practices. The Healthcare Equality Index (HEI) is the national LGBTQ benchmarking tool that evaluates healthcare facilities’ policies and practices regarding the equity and inclusion of LGBTQ patients, visitors, and employees. The HEI evaluates more than 2,200 healthcare facilities nationwide.
The HEI also provides healthcare organizations like Care Resource with a unique opportunity to assess themselves against an array of additional best practices in LGBTQ+ care, including but not limited to:
- Patient Non-Discrimination with an LGBTQ-inclusive patient non-discrimination policy that is communicated to patients in at least two documented ways AND is communicated to staff.
- Employment Non-Discrimination with an employment non-discrimination policy (or equal employment opportunity policy) includes the term “sexual orientation” and the term “gender identity” that is communicated to the public in at least one documented way.
- LGBTQ Patient Training, LGBTQ+ knowledgeable and -friendly providers, and certain transgender-specific clinical services.
- LGBTQ+ inclusive marketing, events, or initiatives.
According to Rick Siclari, CEO of Care Resource, “We are proud to be a high performer in LGBTQ Healthcare Equality and of our historic commitment to provide services that are sensitive to the needs of these communities. Since our founding over 40 years ago, Care Resource’s services have promoted awareness, provided support for physical and mental health, and have been delivered in a supportive and culturally sensitive environment. Our newly adopted three-year strategic plan addresses our continuing tradition as an LQBTQ center of healthcare excellence. At the same time, it maintains and further expands our efforts to serve greater communities in South Florida with unparalleled primary care. Focusing on these efforts has placed us among the top 10% on quality outcomes among all community health centers nationally.”
Through education, prevention, research, care, treatment, and support services, Care Resource improves the health and overall quality of life of our diverse South Florida communities in need.
About Care Resource:
Care Resource is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization and a Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC). The health center has four (4) facilities, including: Miami-Dade, Little Havana-(Miami-Dade), Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale and provides comprehensive health and support services to address the full health care needs of our pediatric, adolescent and adult populations.
