Services for Women

Women’s Care, Prevention and Support Services (WCPSS)

WCPSS is a unit within the Michael Palm Center for AIDS Care and Support which consist of three programs; Women In Action, Positive Prevention for Women and New Wave Family Center.  Within these programs there are various services provided and criteria to be met for enrollment.

In Women in Action (WIA), we work with women of color who are: (1) HIV positive or do not know their status or who may be at high risk for HIV; (2) who may have a history of alcohol or substance use, or (3) have partnered with an active alcohol or drug user.  We provide individual and group counseling, escorts to outside services, rapid HIV testing, overdose prevention group counseling and follow up support, including connection to care. 

PPW works with HIV positive women in NYC in which HIV was transmitted by heterosexual sex. We provide prevention education and support groups to increase women’s knowledge about HIV transmission and skills in negotiating safety.  After completing the six-week group, women can participate in an additional group called Sister Informing Sisters about Topics on AIDS (SISTA).  SISTA allows women to have more in depth discussions related to HIV prevention.  We also have an arts and crafts Pillow Talk group designed to continue building a sister bond.

New Wave Family Center provides supportive services that are needed to build and strengthen support networks for parents, grandparents, caretakers or guardians living with HIV and AIDS. We address the pressures of raising children and managing HIV.  We also offer a 10-week Parenting Enhancement group, drop in support group, supportive individual counseling sessions and referrals.  There are also three educational forums per year;

• Back to School - Parenting Rights, Parental Involvement and Student Success
• Holiday Mental Health - Managing Stress and Depression during the Holiday
• Summer Strategies Forum - Keeping Kids Safe during the Summer

For more information, please contact wcpss@gmhc.org.

Mental Health

We offer a multi-disciplinary mental health clinic at GMHC that provides free short- and long-term psychotherapy and substance-abuse counseling to adults living with HIV/AIDS, regardless of age, gender, race, or sexual orientation.  We engage clients in a holistic, tailored and collaborative approach. This is accomplished by creating a dynamic relationship with the client, therapist and other services providers. As a team, we coordinate care to impact the client’s overall mental health and well-being. Client strengths are utilized to address psychosocial and emotional stressors on physical health and quality of life.

We work with clients on a diverse range of issues including, but not limited to: Anxiety, Depression, History of Abuse and Trauma, Alcohol and Substance Use, Compulsive Sexual Behavior, Grief and Loss, and Relationship Problems.

The staff  is culturally diverse and consists of professionals in the fields of Clinical Psychology, Psychiatric Nursing, Clinical Social Work, Mental Health Counseling, Creative Arts Therapies, Substance Use Counseling, and Peer Education.

For more information regarding mental health services at GMHC, email team119@gmhc.org  or call 212.367.1165.

Types of Counseling

Our services are available in English, Spanish, and French

Clients enrolled for services will initially be scheduled for a comprehensive psychosocial assessment. Following the assessment the client will be matched with a therapist and/or therapy group, based on availability and the client’s individual preferences.

Individual Counseling
We provide short– and long-term individual therapy in the following areas: mental-health, substance-use and treatment adherence.

Family Counseling
We work with families, whether biological or of-choice, on a wide range of issues such as disclosure, loss, parenting skills and effective communication.

Couple Counseling
Couple counseling is offered to couples who have been together for at least 1 year. Issues include healthy communication, trust, behavior change, and discordant HIV status.

Support Groups

Group Therapy
Group services focus on issues such as: New Diagnosis, Living Well with HIV, Long Term Survivors, Harm Reduction, Drug Recovery, Sexual Compulsivity, Depression & Anxiety, Gay Men’s Group, Visually Impaired Group, and others.

Creative Arts Therapy
This service provides group and individual interventions that use the creative process of art making and drama techniques to enhance physical, mental and emotional well-being.
Creative Arts Therapy Group topics include: male survivors of sexual trauma, women’s emotional wellness; open studio and others.

Mental Health Services

Psychiatric Services
The Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner (PNP) conducts psychiatric assessments, provides mental health counseling, and coordinates client referrals for medication -management and other general  psychiatric care.

Mental Health Case Management
The Case Manager assesses client’s needs and actively makes referrals that can be helpful in client’s remaining connected to services and engaged in mental health care.

Independent Living Skills
Psycho-educational sessions helping clients improve self-sufficiency and effectively manage stress, time, finances, and emotions.

Housing Advocacy
Educational and supportive services that help clients learn the necessary skills to navigate through the process of finding housing and maintaining a healthy home in New York City.

For more information regarding services at GMHC, email team119@gmhc.org  or call 212.367.1165.

GMHC, 119 West 24 Street, New York, NY 10011