Center on Halsted and IMPACT LGBT Health and Development Program at Northwestern University on April 23 launched a new LGBT health research center located at the Center. It is the first LGBT health research facility in the nation that is housed in an LGBT community center.
According to a press release, the health center at Center on Halsted, with a bio-behavioral lab, coincides with the launch and enrollment for RADAR, an $8.7 million study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
"Integrating RADAR and other studies, such as ChiGuys, into Center on Halsted better serves participants by ensuring immediate linkage to HIV care and wrap-around services for any youth testing HIV-positive and creates a more seamless experience for LGBT youth, many of whom access programs from both organizations," said the release.
The partnership, which has already been in place for five years, is opening the facility for a "real-world" setting against which researchers can carry out their work on LGBT issues. Other initiatives for the partnership have included Keep It Up! 1.5, a three year, city-wide service project aimed at preventing HIV among young men who have sex with men; the nation's first clinical psychology internship track focused on LGBT health, funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration; and the annual LGBT Health Conference, bringing researchers and practitioners together to discuss emerging research in LGBT health.
"Embedding research in the community space strengthens this partnership by providing staff of both organizations with daily opportunities to share resources and improve research and community programming," said the release.