Berkshire LGBTQ-Welcoming Health Provider Networking Event (Pittsfield, MA)

Thursday 5:30-7:30pm
The Berkshire Innovation Center
45 Woodlawn Ave, Pittsfield, MA 01201

SHORT DESCRIPTION: Berkshire Regional Planning Commission, BHS, Q-MoB, & Western Mass Rainbow Pages invite you to get to know your health provider colleagues who are LGBTQ-welcoming in this FREE networking event that will feature

• food & beverages,
• an update on progress since the 10/29 roundtable,
• an opportunity to meet again with your roundtable colleagues or meet new colleagues if you were not at the previous roundtable, &
• time to get to know colleagues from diverse specialties, geographies, & organizations.

NOTE: This event is for licensed or credentialed health providers who are LGBTQ-welcoming, including doctors, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, psychologists, dentists, dental hygienists, nurses (RN, LPN, CNM), mental health counselors/therapists, physical & ocupational therapists, acupuncturists, chiropractors, lab techs, EMTs & paramedics, naturopathic physicians, dieticians, licensed massage therapists, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, & other health providers state-credentialed to provide patient care.

DRAFT EVENT SCHEDULE:

5:30-5:50pm Gathering to get food/beverages & get to know one another

5:50-6:10 Welcome about 1) Progress since 10/29 Roundtable; 2) inviting each person to introduce themselves; 3) outlining our informal schedule; 4) Inviting people to reconvene or pick one of the 5 tables in the Class room to facilitate getting to know one another & possibly to move forward on planning

• Welcome by BHS DEI Officer

• Welcome by Jaymie Zapata, Berkshire Regional Planning Commission Manager of Public Health Planning, about LGBTQ Rural Health Public Health Data (isolation risk factors; chronic illness disparities)
• Welcome by Bart Church, Western Mass Rainbow Pages Publisher & Q-MoB Executive Directors

6:10-6:40pm 5 Table Networking Conversations

5 Tables for Collaborative Conversations & Notetaking to Inform 1 Year BRPC Initiative to support LGBTQ Health Providers & their Patients:

1. QUALITY OF LIFE: What could improve the quality of your life as an LGBTQ-welcomng health provider & what support could your peers provide? What support do you have at work & outside of work? Set goal for the year of what we might do to support provider quality of life.
   
2. PROVIDER COLLABORATION: What could we do to provide meaningful collaboration between providers around the special needs of LGBTQ patients with multiple conditions. Set goal for the year of offering a monthly case consultation video chat or quarterly virtual rounds?
   
3. CME: What things would you like to learn about the health needs and challenges of rural LGBTQ people in the Berkshire? What CME topics would you like us to provide & when? Berkshire Pride training. Set goal for the year of what CME classes we’d like.
   
4. PATIENT PREVENTION & HEALTH EDUCATION: How could we promote better health prevention education in the rural LGBTQ community in the Berkshires & who could lead those efforts & how might we fund them? Handouts & resource/referral lists for LGBTQ patients?
   
5. PROVIDER COMMUNITY BUILDING: 1. How could we broaden, deepen, & diversify the community of LGBTQ-welcoming health providers, 2. Educate new practitioners and residents, 3. reach out to Medical Residents, Behavioral Health & social work providers, providers working with immigrants, BIPOC providers, Latino & Spanish-speaking providers, Dental Providers, healthcare administrators;

6:40-6:45pm Brief Break

6:45-7:15pm WHOLE GROUP DISCUSSION: 1) Do we want to have LGBTQ Welcoming Health Provider Networking Events every 2 months & 2) do we want to hear report outs from the 5 tables about their progress at those networking gatherings so we can create & sustain momentum? 3) Who would you like to invite to join us at the next networking event to help increase the diversity of health providers participating?

7:15-7:30pm Networking: Talking with 2 people you have not yet met

MORE INFO: If you have questions not answered by the information above please or call 413-344-8162

Event venue

Berkshire Innovation Center, 45 Woodlawn Avenue, Pittsfield, United States

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