Colorado's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Health Outcomes Planning Project aims to reduce health disparities in the LGBT population by establishing a strategic plan by June 2012. The planning process involved developing a 2021 vision of health equity and identifying current barriers like social attitudes. Six strategic directions were identified to overcome barriers, including enhancing education, promoting inclusive policies, coordinating research, changing beliefs, compiling resources, and engaging partners. The project seeks further input and invites participation to finalize the strategic plan.

1. Colorado’s
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender
Health Outcomes Planning Project (HOPP)

2. Goal & Primary Objective
Overarching Goal: Reduced health
disparities in Colorado’s Lesbian, Gay,
Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT)
population.
Primary Objective: By June 1, 2012,
Establish a strategic plan, with 2-year
strategies and 180-day implementation
actions.

3. 4 Phases of Our Planning Process
Vision
◦ In 2021, what is in place to help address the health and
wellness of the LGBT communities in Colorado?
Barriers & Obstacles
◦ What are the barriers that keep us from reaching our
vision?
Strategic Directions
◦ What are the two-year strategic directions that will move
us past barriers towards our Vision?
Implementation
◦ What are the accomplishments for the next year?

4. What’s Happened So Far
Event Date
Kickoff (Engaging Partners) August 31, 2011
Environmental Scan September 8, 2011
(Data & Policy Background)
Participatory Planning Sessions
•Developing a Vision September 20, 2011 (7.5 hrs)
•Identifying Barriers & October 11, 2011 (4 hrs)
Obstacles
•Identifying Strategic October 11, 2011 (4 hrs)
Directions
Public Comment November – December, 2011
Implementation Planning January – May, 2012

5. How the Planning Happens:
 Foundational Values:
• Participation
• Teamwork
• Consensus
• Creativity
• Action
 A flexible but structured alternation of
discussing in small groups and whole group
 Process developed by the Institute of Cultural
Affairs, part of their Technology of
Participation trainings

6. Segments of Group Planning Work
 Individual Brainstorm on Focus Question
 Brainstorm further and Prioritize in Small
Groups
 Whole group organizes into Clusters
according to similar strategic intent
 Naming of the arena of focus

7. The Vision
In 2021, what is in place to help address
the health and wellness of the LGBT
communities in Colorado?
 3 “pillars” of our vision were identified
 Along with one Foundational Prerequisite
Colorado is working towards:
1. Healthy and Happy LGBT People and
Communities
2. Excellence in LGBT Health Programs &
Services
3. Liberating Policies, Partnerships, & Strategic
Action

8. Vision Pillar #1:
Healthy, Happy LGBT People & Communities
 A community that practices and promotes
healthy living
 Equity across the life course
 Measured improvement in LGBT health

9. Vision Pillar #2:
Excellence in LGBT Health
Programs & Services
 Access to high quality LGBT-specific
prevention intervention and care
 Competent and LGBT-affirming health
workforce

10. Vision Pillar #3:
Liberating Policies, Partnerships, &
Strategic Action
 LGBT-affirming policies and political
environment
 Partnerships that advance mutual
aspirations

11. The Foundation of The Vision
The above pillars of the vision must be
grounded and supported by
Collection and Sharing of Relevant
Community Data

12. Barriers & Obstacles
What are the barriers & obstacles that
would keep us from reaching our Vision?
◦ 7 Major Categories of Obstacles were identified
◦ Presented here in order of how impactful they
are perceived to be…
 the first is thought to be the most challenging –
the one “at the center of the storm”
 The second was thought to be second-most
challenging, and so on.

13. Barriers that would keep us from
reaching our Vision
1. Attitudes, Values, and Norms that
Impede Social Justice
2. Competing priorities within the LGBT
communities
3. Under-developed data systems and
processes

14. Barriers that would keep us from
reaching our Vision
4. Deficient public and professional education
5. Inequitable and ineffective policies
6. Diffuse and deficient social support systems
7. A dysfunctional and biased health care
system

15. Strategic Directions
What are the strategic directions that will
move us past the barriers & obstacles
toward our Vision?
◦ 6 Strategic Directions were identified

16. Strategic Direction #1
1. Enhancing Skills and Education
a. Launch an inter-disciplinary conference “Queering
Public Health”
b. Train LGBT health advocates
c. Promote existing education and development
programs
d. Create a LGBT-focused Continuing Medical
Education course
e. Inform about difference b/w behavior and identity
(as these relate to health)
f. Educate the LGBT Community on intergenerational
issues
g. Target message about participation research

17. Strategic Direction #2
2. Identify and Promote an Inclusive
LGBT Policy Agenda
a. Promote transgender representation in public health
actions
b. Establish inclusion of LGBT health within the Office
of Health Disparities at CDPHE
c. Ensure inclusion of LGBT health standards included
in the Affordable Care Act
d. Promote marital and family recognition to improve
LGBTQ health
e. Demand affirmative action
f. Demand Trans inclusion in Health Care Reform
Agencies

18. Strategic Direction #3
3. Develop a sustainable process to coordinate
research and develop benchmarks
a. Identify missing data fields in the written/electronic medical
record
b. Identify the social determinants of health for LGBT communities
c. Add LGBT questions to existing health surveys
d. Include under-represented LGBT communities in research
e. Develop targeted LGBT health benchmarks (which include
socially-determined health factors)
f. Create a LGBT health research collaborative
g. Promote collection of sex orientation and gender identity by H.C.
providers
h. Create template for data collection on LGBT health and develop
buy-in to use it
i. LGBTQ planning regarding the Youth Risk Behavior Survey
(YRBS)
j. Inform about difference b/w behavior and identity (as these
relate to health)

19. Strategic Direction #4
4. Change Attitudes and Beliefs
a. Pilot “LGBT 101” in schools (Elementary through
College)
b. Organize youth to demand LGBT-inclusive sex
education
c. Develop a social marketing campaign about LGBT
health
i. educates, unifies, participatory
d. Develop a “Healthy LGBT” Movement/Education
Primary Prevention
e. Organize against misinformation and fear promoted
by Focus on the Family
f. Create a “Welcome Wagon”
(to orient Colorado newcomers to LGBT resources)

20. Strategic Direction #5
5. Compile Existing Information and
Resources on the state of LGBT
Health in Colorado
a. Compile existing standards & research
b. Map resources (allies and advocates, including faith-
based organizations)
c. Develop an inventory of inequitable policies
d. Identify existing LGBT health initiatives
e. Develop on-line database of research projects and
funding

21. Strategic Direction #6
6. Engage Community Partners
a. Enlist LGBT organizations as partners
b. Engage health organizations with non-LGBT specific
focus in this work
c. Engage faith-based allies
d. Expand individual dialogue and storytelling (such as
the Kaiser Permanente video “OUT”)
e. Educate voters about candidate positions on LGBT
health issues
f. Stop accepting sponsorships from alcohol, tobacco,
and prescription drugs companies
g. Expand broad-based community engagement (school
counselors/ social workers)
h. Accessing Artists to promote new narratives

22. Thanks to our Funder
Funding for this project is made
possible from a grant from the U.S.
Department of Health and Human
Services as a “Healthy People 2020
Action Project”

23. Now, we’d like your input:
 When you consider these 6 overall strategies,
do you feel we‟ve missed any major strategic
directions that need to be included?
 Do you feel that any of the 6 strategies are
„missing the mark‟ and need revising or
expanding in particular ways?
 Do you have any additional comments you‟d
like to offer either specific to the 6 major
strategic directions, or about the plan
overall?

24. Join in the Work & the Fun!
 Next Planning Session is January 5th, 2012
 Session Objective: To refresh memories
about our progress this Fall, review additions
made from the public comment process, and
divide into smaller subgroups
 Subgroups will meet regularly at CDPHE, and
online, throughout the Spring.
 CONTACT: Julie Graves if you‟d like to
participate – everyone is welcome!

25. Questions? Need more Info?
Julie Graves, M.S.
Project Coordinator
Evaluator, Prevention Services Division
CO Department of Public Health & Environment
julie.graves@state.co.us
(303) 692-2079