GMHC Program Guide
GMHC Program Guide and Core Operating Values
The following values and beliefs are intended to guide client, volunteer, staff and guest behavior at GMHC.
Community: We are a community space where people come together to share and receive support, kindness and understanding. Participation in this community comes with a responsibility to one another, and a commitment to be compassionate and ensure each other’s safety and well-being.
Empowerment: We are committed to strengthening and empowering each other to lead healthy and independent lives. We believe in the inherent strengths and capabilities of all persons, and believe in providing opportunities for individuals to heal themselves, to learn, and to contribute to others.
Inclusiveness: We engage and embrace all people who seek to participate and contribute to our community, regardless of age, circumstances of HIV transmission, disability, economic status, gender identification, HIV status, immigration status, incarceration history, national origin, race/ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or substance use history.
Respect: We believe in honest and considerate communication and expect that there will be differences of opinion. We refrain from judging each other and strive for patience and tolerance.
Responsibility: It is a voluntary choice to participate in the GMHC community. We hold ourselves and each other accountable for our decisions and actions. We take responsibility for our behavior and accept the consequences for violating these principles.
Safety: We are committed to ensuring that our environment is free of violence or threats of violence, verbal abuse, sexual harassment, or physical action towards a member of our community.
Client Rights & Responsibilities
GMHC strives to provide a safe, welcoming place where people choose to receive education, support, and services. We believe that everyone — clients, volunteers, staff and guests — must be treated with respect while at GMHC or at a GMHC sponsored activity.
As a client of GMHC, you can expect:
- Respect from all GMHC staff and volunteers;
- Prompt information about available services;
- Access to programs without discrimination as to age, circumstances of HIV transmission, disability, economic status, gender identification, HIV status, immigration status, incarceration history, national origin, race/ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation or substance use history;
- That your HIV status will be kept confidential among staff and volunteers at GMHC and will not be disclosed without your prior consent. (Except as otherwise required by law including, but not limited to, an order from the court.) Information about you may be shared among GMHC programs to ensure that you are offered and receive the most appropriate service(s);
- Access to your client record upon request within a reasonable period;
- Access to a formal grievance procedure to address complaints.
When you are at GMHC or at a GMHC sponsored activity, we expect that you will treat all clients, volunteers, staff and guests with respect, and therefore will not:
- Engage in physical violence;
- Behave in a way that is physically, verbally or sexually threatening or abusive including, but not limited to: in person, by telephone, email, text message, mail;
- Bring, use, distribute, sell or buy anything including, but not limited to, prescription medication, illegal drugs, or alcohol;
- Carry any type of weapon;
- Engage in cash transactions in the agency including, but not limited, to borrowing and/or loaning money;
- Engage in sexual behavior;
- Steal, destroy or deface anything on GMHC’s premises.
Failure to abide by this agreement has consequences. It can include, but not be limited to, suspension or dismissal from a specific service or the agency.
Welcome to the Program Guide
GMHC offers a wide variety of programs and services to help and support you. This guide was designed so you can easily locate them. We hope you find this guide useful. GMHC strives to offer you the highest quality care. If you have any suggestions to improve the guide or programming, please see any staff member or join GMHC’s Consumer Advisory Board (CAB).
This section will help you find the programs and services we provide. Items of special interest are bolded.
|
Service |
Department |
CC Coordinated Care CHR Community Health & Research GEF David Geffen Center for HIV Prevention & Health Education INT Intake LGL Legal Service PALM Michael Palm Center for AIDS Care & Support POL Public Policy VWW Volunteer, Work & Wellness For information about any of these programs: (212) 367-1000 or email webmaster@gmhc.org |
Program Descriptions
All programs take place at 446 West 33rd Street except where noted.
Client Intake INT
Client Intake is your entry point into GMHC and offers comprehensive and holistic intake, assessment and re-assessment services to HIV-positive and at-risk individuals. We work with you to ensure you are effectively linked to vital programmatic services. The Client Intake department is staffed by trained intake clinicians and support staff who will assist you in becoming a client of GMHC and guide you to the appropriate program.
(212) 367-1000, intake@gmhc.org
Community Health and Research CHR
Community Health and Research, located at the GMHC Center for HIV Prevention (224 West 29th Street), works with HIV-positive individuals and people at high risk for HIV infection — especially youth, women of color, and the LGBTQ community. Club 1319 offers teenagers who are gay, bisexual or questioning, a drop-in space with access to a computer lab, HIV prevention and other workshops, and career development programs. We provide opportunities to help create social marketing and outreach campaigns. We also organize the annual Latex Ball, the premier ballroom event in the nation. Contact us on how you can become involved.
(212) 367-1385, chr@gmhc.org
Coordinated Care CC
The Coordinated Care Department provides case management services through our COBRA and Transitional Care Coordination programs. We connect you and your family to vital community resources and support you in negotiating and coordinating your care. We will assist you with finding housing, medical care, health insurance, entitlements, food, substance use services, dental services, mental health providers, job training services, support groups, and treatment education. Our goal is to help you become stable and self-sufficient.
(212) 367-1174, care@gmhc.org
David Geffen Center for HIV Prevention and Health Education GEF
The David Geffen Center for HIV Prevention and Health Education provides free, confidential HIV and STI testing, outreach, and health education at the GMHC Center for HIV Prevention (224 West 29th Street) and in the community setting. You can call our toll-free Helpline to talk with a counselor. We can also assist you to identify and access medical care and supportive services, including treatment adherence, HIV prevention counseling, substance abuse counseling, and risk reduction counseling.
(212) 367-1100, testing@gmhc.org
Helpline: 800-243-7692
Legal, Client Advocacy and Client Finacial Services LGL
The Legal Department can help you to avoid eviction; file bankruptcy; obtain PRUCOL status; access benefits; apply for Social Security; request a fair hearing; obtain a reasonable accommodation from your employer; prosecute an HIV-related discrimination claim; apply for a green card, asylum, or citizenship; and address a range of other legal issues. Client Advocacy can help you with your Social Security application or appeal, insurance issues, and problems with HASA (HIV/AIDS Services Administration). If you are not eligible for HASA, the Sustainable Living Fund may be able to help you find out how to pay for your housing.
General legal questions: (212) 367-1134
Health insurance, benefits, Social Security: (212) 367-1143
Immigration appointment: (212) 367-1321
Sustainable Living Fund: (212) 367-1114
All questions: legal@gmhc.org
Michael Palm Center for AIDS Care and Support PALM
The Michael Palm Center offers mental health, support and prevention services. Mental Health Services offer you multi-disciplinary individual, group and substance use counseling and treatment adherence to adults living with HIV/AIDS. Women’s Care, Prevention and Support Services (WCPSS), comprised of three HIV/STI prevention and care programs, offers counseling, education and support groups to HIV-positive and high-risk HIV-negative women of color. Outstanding Beautiful Brothers (OBB), GMHC’s Young Men’s Prevention Program, provides individual and group mental health counseling and art therapy treatment as well as community building and educational groups to gay, bisexual, questioning and other men (between the ages of 18–29) who have sex with men, regardless of HIV status.
Mental Health Services: (212) 367-1165 | mhs@gmhc.org
Outstanding Beautiful Brothers: (212) 367-1139 | obb@gmhc.org
WCPSS: (212) 367-1358, womenscare@gmhc.org
Public Policy POL
If you’re interested in learning more about HASA, Medicaid, Medicare, and other programs that affect you, join the Action Center. We’re a group of committed GMHC clients who gather every week to discuss political issues and public benefits. If you haven’t done much advocacy in the past, you can learn more about opportunities to make change. If you’re a seasoned advocate, you can discuss issues that interest you and meet with your elected officials. We have three groups: women, housing, and drop-in (for many different issues). Please contact the Action Center for meeting times and locations.
(212) 367-1354, advocate@gmhc.org
Volunteer, Work and Wellness Center VWW
The Volunteer, Work and Wellness Center offers you a variety of services designed to improve and maintain your health and well-being. The Meals Program provides lunch Monday through Thursday, and dinner on Friday evening. The Nutrition Education Program offers food pantry services, nutrition counseling, nutrition groups, cooking classes, body mass assessments, and information about herbs and supplements. The Wellness Program offers a wide variety of complimentary therapies and services including: yoga, massage therapy, exercise, ear point acupuncture, painting and sculpture classes, scholarships for non-credited courses at area colleges, free or low cost theater and movie tickets, a lending library, free haircuts and special events for clients. The Workforce Development (MATCH) Program supports clients who are interested in transition-to-work services including vocational counseling, GED and college prep classes, job training, skills-based training, and job placement and retention services. The Volunteer Center recruits, trains, places and supports GMHC volunteers and interns for positions in all departments at GMHC. All clients are welcome to participate. Call for information about Volunteer Open Houses.
Meals & Wellness: (212) 367-1420
Nutrition Services: (212) 367-1420
Volunteer Center: (212) 367-1030
Workforce Development (MATCH) Program: (212) 367-1030
All questions: vwandw@gmhc.org
Consumer Advisory Board
The Consumer Advisory Board (CAB) is made up of GMHC clients, staff, volunteers and community partners providing input to GMHC on the agency’s programs and services. Participation in the CAB is your opportunity to learn how the agency works, suggest how to make things work better, and participate in the implement of suggestions in collaboration with staff. The CAB holds meetings monthly, and has an office on the 7th floor where meeting and activity schedules are posted. For more information and a membership application please visit the 7th floor office, call (212) 367-1170 or write to cabm@gmhc.org.
GMHC acknowledges the contributions of the Consumer Advisory Board to the publication of the Guide. For a large-print edition of this Guide, please visit a receptionist at GMHC or click here. The Program Guide is also available in Spanish, please click here to download.
© 2013. GMHC, New York. All Rights Reserved.
GMHC is located at 446 West 33rd Street,
New York, NY 10001-2601