Oklahoma City Indian Clinic is one of 251 healthcare providers nation-wide to receive the “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Top Performer” designation.
OKLAHOMA CITY —Today, March 28, 2022, Oklahoma City Indian Clinic (OKCIC) has received the designation of “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Top Performer” in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 15th anniversary edition of the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey of healthcare facilities on policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment and inclusion of their LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees. A record 906 healthcare facilities actively participated in the 2022 HEI survey and 251 of those earned an “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Top Performer” designation.
“We’re proud to provide safe and culturally appropriate care to American Indians in the LGBTQ+ community,” Robyn Sunday-Allen, OKCIC’s Chief Executive Officer, said. “We provide primary care, women’s and men’s health, dental, vision exams, behavioral health services, PrEP, STD testing and hormone management for our patients.”
“Every person deserves to have access to quality healthcare, be respected and heard by their doctor, and feel safe in the facility where they are receiving care. But LGBTQ+ people are often subject to discrimination in all spaces, including healthcare facilities, which leads to members of the community avoiding care and anticipating our voices will not be respected in an incredibly vulnerable environment,” said Tari Hanneman, Director of Health & Aging at The Human Rights Campaign. “The Healthcare Equality Index, at its core, strives to ensure LGBTQ+ people are protected and affirmed by their healthcare providers and feel safe seeking services. Our HEI active participants are truly pioneering the healthcare industry by implementing robust, comprehensive LGBTQ+ inclusive policies that hopefully, because of their work, will become standard practice.”
The HEI evaluates and scores healthcare facilities on detailed criteria falling under four central pillars:
- Foundational Policies and Training in LGBTQ+ Patient-Centered Care;
- LGBTQ+ Patient Services and Support;
- Employee Benefits and Policies; and,
- Patient and Community Engagement.
Using data from the Gallup Daily Tracking Survey from 2012 to 2017, the Williams Institute estimates 285,000 American Indian adults identify as LGBTQ+. That means 6 percent of the total Native population is LGBTQ+ compared to 5.6 percent of the general U.S. population.
OKCIC has taken several steps to create an inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ patients and employees, starting with a Diversity Council and Transgender Treatment Team to work side-by-side and address LGBTQ+ inequalities. OKCIC also engages the local LGBTQ+ community by attending the Oklahoma City PRIDE Festival every year and participating in the Oklahoma HIV Prevention CO-OP to provide safer sex packs and outreach events providing free HIV testing and education. In addition to in-person outreach, OKCIC publishes resources for LGBTQ+ patients regularly on social media and in HORIZONS magazine.
OKCIC is also committed to advancing inclusion for employees. The OKCIC non-discrimination policy applies to both employees and patients: “Oklahoma City Indian Clinic (OKCIC), as your medical home, will always strive to provide a safe, welcoming and culturally appropriate clinic environment that does not discriminate against any person on the basis of gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, or transgender status so that all LGBTQ+ patients will be treated with respect, and according to their gender identity.”
About Human Rights Campaign
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people. Through its programs, the HRC Foundation seeks to make transformational change in the everyday lives of LGBTQ+ people, shedding light on inequity and deepening the public’s understanding of LGBTQ+ issues, with a clear focus on advancing transgender and racial justice. Its work has transformed the landscape for more than 15 million workers, 11 million students, 1 million clients in the adoption and foster care system and so much more. The HRC Foundation provides direct consultation and technical assistance to institutions and communities, driving the advancement of inclusive policies and practices; it builds the capacity of future leaders and allies through fellowship and training programs; and, with the firm belief that we are stronger working together, it forges partnerships with advocates in the U.S. and around the globe to increase our impact and shape the future of our work.
About Oklahoma City Indian Clinic
Oklahoma City Indian Clinic was established in 1974 to provide excellent health care and wellness services to American Indians in central Oklahoma. The clinic staff cares for more than 21,000 patients from over 220 federally recognized tribes every year. American Indians can receive a range of services, including medical, dental, pediatrics, prenatal, pharmacy, optometry, physical fitness, nutrition, family programs and behavioral health services. For more information, please call (405) 948-4900 or visit www.okcic.com.