The HEART Program addresses common healthcare barriers faced by TLGBQ+ people in Vermont by focusing on community members’ experiences.

HEART is currently on pause after the first 2.5 years of the program so we can evaluate and decide how to move forward from here!

Our Health Justice Work Group (HJWG) made up of rural LGBTQ+ community members, rural LGBTQ+ providers, and OITO staff meets regularly to give input on OITO Health Justice projects, to talk through experiences and challenges accessing healthcare, and strategize together about how to expand equity and access in rural LGBTQ+ healthcare.

Click below to join our HJWG listserv and learn more.

Since 2018, OITO staff have been working with Brattleboro Memorial Hospital on expanding their ability to provide care to LGBTQ+ patients, including the exploration of an LGBTQ+-dedicated clinic.

In 2022, OITO staff member Jake McBride established a community advisory group, currently seven people from our Health Justice Work Group, who meet with OITO and BMH staff to give input and direction on the creation of the clinic.

If you’re interested in learning more, email us below.

This project is in collaboration with Dr. Ike Leslie, and will utilize LGBTQ+ community interviewers to learn more about rural LGBTQ+ health disparities across northern New England, and then help shape OITO’s plan to address and remedy those disparities.

We’re in the early stages of this project and there will be more coming throughout 2024!

We regularly consult on and organize for shifting policies related to rural LGBTQ+ community health. Some recent examples include: helped to expand Vermont Medicaid’s gender affirming care coverage, supported bills to decriminalize sex work, worked against the creation of new psych prisons, helped create the “X” gender marker on VT IDs, pushed for a just response to COVID-19 in the early days, and continued pushing for access to on-going freely available COVID-19 testing.

If you’re interested in our support and expertise on a policy issue, let us know!

Out in the Open, with Outright Vermont, is supporting an effort led by the Pride Center of Vermont to create an LGBTQIA+ health-focused gathering for community members as well as providers to focus on health needs of our community.

This bi-annual gathering will be back in 2025!