GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Saturday, the Grand Rapids Pride Center held its second of two free health services days this month. The events offered free health testing for the LGBTQ community.
From 3-6 p.m. people could receive vision screening, HIV/Hepatitis C testing, Narcan training, blood pressure and blood glucose testing and spine screenings.
The Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, The Red Project, Michigan State University medical students and Novo Chiropractic helped provide the health services.
Leslie Boker, the Proud to be Health coordinator for the Pride Center, was also helping people register for health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
"We, as a community, have some health access barriers and needs that are not being met because we hesitate to seek services until problems are really bad," said Boker. "We worry about being rejected, and then there's the reality of being rejected in a healthcare environment."
Boker said it's important to offer these health services days to the LGBTQ community in an environment they're already comfortable in.
The Pride Center offers health fairs and health services days throughout the year. They will have a last chance healthcare assistance enrollment event on Dec. 13.
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