CM Cabán on LGBTQ healthcare, PrEP/PEP, and gender-affirming care

Thank you, Chair.

Good morning, Commissioner.

I have a couple of questions related to LGBTQ health care.

So, you know, PrEP and PEP have been amazing developments in preventing the spread of HIV AIDS.

How does the budget ensure affordable PrEP and PEP access, as well as public information on the effectiveness of the drugs and how to use them effectively and safely?

Yeah, thank you for that question, Councilmember.

So as I mentioned at the top, you know, our ability to provide medications for sexual health and STDs is a core priority of ours at the Public Health Department.

We have six sexual health clinics.

All of them are.

You know, low cost to no cost.

So individuals can always walk in and get the medications that they need from us.

That will remain true.

There also is, you know, no thought to someone's immigration status or ability to pay.

And so, you know, we look forward to continuing to provide any and all medications that are needed for both.

Prep and PEP.

And then pivoting to gender-affirming care.

So it's a particular concern to this body.

We passed a package of bills, the Protect Trans Future package last year on this.

How is the department addressing health care disparities between TGNC, NBI, and gender-conforming patients, reminding them of their rights and helping to make gender-affirming care affordable and private?

Yeah, that's a really good question.

So a couple things.

The first is we have a trans, nonconforming, and nonbinary advisory committee.

I actually was just there two weeks ago where we had an honest conversation that, you know,

this federal government is trying to erase their existence from public record.

And so they are counting, federal government's counting on cities like New York to not say anything and to step back from its role in protecting health for this population.

And we will not stop protecting trans, nonconforming, nonbinary people.

So from our perspective, that advisory committee is what helps us keep ourselves honest and make sure that the services that we're delivering.

keep them top of mind.

We also select and give funding to 20 CBOs

throughout the TGNCB Empowerment Fund, which gives us the ability to not just do the work internally, but also to identify the community-based organizations that are really good at this and to fund them to be able to do what they do.

Thank you.

That commitment is so important now more than ever.