LGBQ+ Veteran care
The West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System has been designated as a 2020 Leader in LGBQ+ Health Care Equality by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation (HRC). In the 2020 report, an impressive 495 facilities earned HRC Foundation’s “LGBQ+ Health Care Equality Leader” designation, receiving the maximum score in each section and earning an overall score of 100. The West Palm Beach VA Healthcare System received the top score of 100 after receiving the highest scores possible across multiple criteria.
Our employees receive training in clinical care that is responsive to the unique needs of LGBQ+ Veterans. Our trained LGBQ+ Veteran Care Coordinators are fully equipped to support the health, welfare, and dignity of you and your family.
Connect with a care coordinator
Our LGBQ+ Veteran care coordinators can answer your questions with any of our services for LGBQ+ Veterans. These include:
- Mental health services
- Creative arts therapies
- Testing, counseling, and care for HIV and sexually transmitted infections, including PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) for Veterans at risk of HIV
- Other prevention, screening, wellness, and testing services
Policies and practices to know
Our Care Coordinator can help you get started with the below:
Visitation: A same-sex partner, family member, friend, or other individual can be present with the patient for emotional support during the course of the patient's stay.
Definition of family: "Family" may include individual(s) not legally related to the individual. Family members include spouses, domestic partners, different-sex and same-sex significant others.
Advance directives: Veterans may designate any person as a decision-maker for care if they won't be able to make these decisions themselves.
Documentation in medical records: We maintain the confidentiality of information about sexual orientation, sexual behavior, etc.