LGBTQIA+-Focused Telehealth Provider Offers Virtual Monkeypox Resources

To combat widening health disparities, FOLX health is offering various virtual resources related to Monkeypox, including education, counseling, and referrals, with the goal of expanding virtual care for the LGBTQIA+ community. 

In the past, the LGBTQIA+ community has received unwarranted blame for health crises, often those that involve sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). As an organization focusing on care for LGBTQIA+ individuals, FOLX Health has launched a service that aims to support this community as Monkeypox cases rise around the country.

“The LGBTQIA+ community has long struggled to access affirming and expert care and has a history of being unfairly blamed for the spread of viruses, as was the case during the beginning of the HIV/AIDS crisis. As Monkeypox began to spread, we felt it was our duty and responsibility as a queer and trans healthcare provider to quickly mobilize and serve as a source of truth in a sea of misinformation,” said Liana Douillet Guzmán, CEO of FOLX Health, in a press release.

To optimize its virtual care program, FOLX Health integrated Monkeypox-related resources into the services it provides. This will allow patients to access Monkeypox-specific education, symptom information, and the location of vaccines. Further, FOLX Health patients can book virtual appointments to discuss Monkeypox with a clinician in their state.

“Providing the platform and clinical care model that allows for that agency has been our mission since day one at FOLX Health, and I couldn’t be prouder to have collaborated with a team of queer and trans-focused clinicians to support our community through this Monkeypox outbreak,” said Kate Steinle, chief clinical officer at FOLX Health, in the press release.

Efforts to provide resources to support the LQBTQA+ community are increasing, bolstered by research on health disparities among this population.

In June, researchers from Vanderbilt University began a study that will focus on disparities that exist within the LGBTQIA+ population. The opening wave of the study will focus on the effects of COVID-19 on the community and how affiliation with an LGBTQ+-affirming healthcare provider allows mental health to be managed more efficiently.

In July, rules advocating for sex anti-discrimination were proposed by the Department of Health and Human Services, which involved the reactivation of Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, which protects against discrimination based on race, color, national origin, age, and disability in certain health programs and activities.

Further, in February, a community health center in Rhode Island, known as Open Door Health, prioritized access to care for the LGBTQIA+ population. The organization did this by offering the LGBTQIA+ community reliable primary and sexual healthcare resources, increasing the prevalence of screenings, treatment, and preventive efforts.