Pride for Youth (PFY), a program of Long Island Crisis Center, is proud
to announce the launch of its newest program, Project PUSH (Protecting &
Understanding Sexual Health) for those most at-risk for HIV on Long Island.
As a part of PFY’s ongoing partnership with North Shore-LIJ Center for
Young Adult, Adolescent and Pediatric HIV, medical staff will now offer a full
host of health services at Pride for Youth’s Bellmore location from 3:00 – 7:00
p.m., the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month. Services
will be targeted for young gay and bisexual men (trans* inclusive), through age
30, who continue to have the highest rates of HIV infection both nationally and
here on Long Island.
This groundbreaking new program is the first of its kind on Long Island
and has the potential to reach at-risk young men who may not be likely to
access healthcare in more traditional settings.
“Project PUSH is the outcome of two years of working with North
Shore-LIJ Health System to provide greater access to healthcare to the young
gay and bisexual men we serve,” states Mr. Carney. “We recognized that most of these young men,
unable to secure these services anywhere on Long Island, either went to NYC for
care, or, more likely, went without these vital services. Project PUSH has the ability to provide
equality in healthcare and create a culture of accessing needed care among this
population.”
Services available include:
initial exams, HIV testing, vaccinations for HPV/Meningitis, PrEP/PEP
evaluations, screening/treatment for STDs, screening for Hepatitis and more.
“We are hopeful that by more effectively attending to the sexual health
needs of this population, we are also working towards Governor Cuomo’s goal of ‘Ending
the AIDS Epidemic by 2020’,” concludes Mr. Carney.
