By Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine Staff

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has awarded The LGBTQ Center of Southern Nevada a sizeable multi-year grant for HIV prevention, awareness and support. The Center will receive $441,625 in the first year with a potential value of $2.5M over a five-year term.

According to the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of HIV/AIDS, Nevada ranks 18th in the nation for the number of individuals diagnosed with HIV. There are people living with HIV in all 17 counties in Nevada. Clark County has the highest rate of new HIV diagnoses (20.0 per 100,000 population) and the highest rate of people living with HIV and AIDS (460.1 per 100,000 people).

The grant from the CDC, Comprehensive High-Impact HIV Prevention Programs for Community-Based Organizations aims to enhance capacities at community-based organizations like The Center to increase HIV testing, link HIV-positive persons to appropriate medical care, improve referrals to partner services, and provide prevention and essential support services for HIV-positive persons and high-risk persons. This group includes people of color, men who have sex with men, transgender individuals, and people who inject drugs.

“This is an enormous opportunity for The Center to significantly increase its impact in the community when it comes to delivering effective HIV prevention strategies to those at greatest risk,” says John Waldron, Ed.D, CEO of The Center. “We are proud of the work we do to help people get tested and find services and resources to improve their health and wellbeing.”

“The Center will soon start its grant under the campaign name Health, Hope and Healing One Community!” says Vince Collins, Director of Community Wellness at The Center. The Center already offers free HIV and STD testing and access to services and PrEP at its Arlene Cooper Community Health Center. And The Center is moving forward with plans to build a pharmacy and provide full onsite health and wellness care for LGBTQIA+ and low-income downtown residents. LGBTQIA+ people are often unable to find healthcare services in their area, encounter discrimination or refusals of service in healthcare settings, and may delay or forego care because of mistreatment concerns. The pharmacy and clinic will support the organization’s long-term goal of generating recurring revenue through the clinic to sustain its LGBTQIA+ programming in Southern Nevada.
About The LGBTQ+ Community Center of Southern Nevada

For more than 25 years, The Center has cared for, championed, and celebrated LGBTQIA+ individuals and those who are underserved in Nevada. We function as the heart and home of the LGBTQIA+ community by making connections, delivering programs, and providing a safe space for health and wellness, social services, arts and culture, advocacy, and community building. Ongoing Center programs support LGBTQIA+ youth, adults, families, seniors, vets, people with disabilities, those living with HIV, and underserved populations. Additionally, we are proud to offer the Center Advocacy Network, the first nationally accredited program of its kind, focusing on LGBTQIA+ issues for victim advocacy. For more information on how The Center empowers everyone to thrive in Nevada, please visit The LGBTQ Center of Southern Nevada online at: www.thecenterlv.org

This article was originally published in the Sports & Recreation Issue of Las Vegas PRIDE Magazine, and can be read in its original format here.