Men's Health Initiative

Summary

Men’s Health Initiative (MHI)'s goal is to increase supportive, community-based networks for men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) within Interior BC while raising attention to their needs and concerns. Ultimately, our hope is to build on the remarkable strengths and resilience of the diverse queer men communities within Interior BC.

The key demographic of the MHI program is any and all queer men in the Interior of BC. The key issues that it hopes to address are accessibility and support for queer men accessing healthcare, with a specific focus on sexual health, HIV/AIDS, & Hep C; addressing gaps in queer men's connectivity and networking in the area; and providing education and community outreach to individuals, service providers, and businesses in regards to queer men's issues and needs.

The specific services provided can be split into Community, Individuals, and Service Providers. Some of the examples of services provided, or that we hope to provide are as follows:

Community:

- Promotion of STI services for queer men

- Education workshops (i.e., Inclusivity, Queer Competency, Queer Men's Needs and Concerns, etc.)

- Harm reduction supplies and services

- Drug checking information and services

- Educational outreach through social media outlets (i.e., Facebook, Instagram, etc.)

- Support group for queer men living with HIV/Hep C

- Networking events

Individuals:

- Advocacy and guidance for queer related issues

- Support for queer men living with HIV/Hep C (i.e., Counselling, Follow-ups, Service Connections, etc.)

- PrEP/PEP access and resources

Service Providers:

- Queer competency education for businesses and service providers (In conjunction with the Harm Reduction Education Team)

- Advocacy and education on HIV medication/treatment/prevention

Want to learn more about this service’s work with Two-Spirit, trans, LGBQ+ people?

We invite all service providers listed on MindMapBC to answer the following questions. These questions were developed in collaboration with community members, researchers, and mental health and other service providers. They're intended to help us understand what a service provider or organization is doing to affirm and support sexual and gender diverse service users.

See below for responses for this listing.

Want to learn more about our screening questions and filters?

Do you collect and use preferred names (rather than legal names) for all communications?

—Yes

Are the forms used in your practice inclusive of various sexual orientations and gender identities (e.g., opportunities to fill in pronouns, etc.)?

—No

Do you and your colleagues ask about pronouns and use them appropriately?

—Yes

Are you and your colleagues aware of what specific barriers may exist for trans individuals accessing your services?

—Yes

Are you and your colleagues aware of what specific barriers may exist for Two-Spirit individuals accessing your services?

—Yes

Do you offer Indigenous 2S/LGBTQ+ specific resources, for example Indigenous Elders or Knowledge Keepers?

—Yes, to some extent

Are you and your colleagues comfortable asking relevant questions about gender identity and sexual orientation?

—Yes

Are you and your colleagues aware of what specific barriers may exist for LGBQ individuals accessing your services?

—Yes

Can you and your colleagues distinguish gender/identity dysphoria/distress from mental health conditions?

—N/A

Does your practice have gender-neutral washrooms?

—Yes

Are there clear anti-discrimination policies that include gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation in your organization or practice?

—Yes

Are all individuals involved in service provision actively engaged in decolonizing their practices and/or organization? If yes, please type below what actions you and/or your organization are taking.

—Yes, to some extent

Are all individuals involved in service provision actively engaged in anti-racist practices, policies, and systems in their care model?

—Yes, to some extent

Address

Lawrence Ave - 255
Kelowna, BC
V1Y 6L2

Languages

Services available in these languages

English

Last updated: February 26, 2023
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