Sunday, December 20, 2015

Project SYNC YMSM Sexual Health Symposium at Hofstra University

On Friday, December 4th, 2015 over 100 health and human service professionals from throughout Long Island, attended the Symposium, Ending the AIDS Epidemic 2020: Project SYNC (Sex Among Youth in Nassau County) - Determining Risk Factors and Barriers to Engagement for YMSM in Nassau County, hosted at Hofstra University. Project Sync was collaboration between Pride for Youth and Hofstra Unversity's MPH program, where over 250 YMSM living in Nassau County were surveyed on their sexual health practices and access to healthcare. Want more information about the findings of Project SYNC or the many sexual health services availble at Pride for Youth? Call us at (516) 679-9000. 








Tuesday, December 1, 2015

PFY launches groundbreaking new healthcare services for gay and bisexual young men!

Pride for Youth (PFY), a program of Long Island Crisis Center, is proud to announce the launch of its newest program, Project PUSH (Protecting & Understanding Sexual Health) for those most at-risk for HIV on Long Island.

As a part of PFY’s ongoing partnership with North Shore-LIJ Center for Young Adult, Adolescent and Pediatric HIV, medical staff will now offer a full host of health services at Pride for Youth’s Bellmore location from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m., the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month. Services will be targeted for young gay and bisexual men (trans* inclusive), through age 30, who continue to have the highest rates of HIV infection both nationally and here on Long Island.

This groundbreaking new program is the first of its kind on Long Island and has the potential to reach at-risk young men who may not be likely to access healthcare in more traditional settings.  “Project PUSH is the outcome of two years of working with North Shore-LIJ Health System to provide greater access to healthcare to the young gay and bisexual men we serve,” states Mr. Carney.  “We recognized that most of these young men, unable to secure these services anywhere on Long Island, either went to NYC for care, or, more likely, went without these vital services.  Project PUSH has the ability to provide equality in healthcare and create a culture of accessing needed care among this population.” 

Services available include:  initial exams, HIV testing, vaccinations for HPV/Meningitis, PrEP/PEP evaluations, screening/treatment for STDs, screening for Hepatitis and more.


“We are hopeful that by more effectively attending to the sexual health needs of this population, we are also working towards Governor Cuomo’s goal of ‘Ending the AIDS Epidemic by 2020’,” concludes Mr. Carney.

Monday, November 9, 2015

PFY and NBLCA host PrEP Breakfast Forum for Health and Human Service Professionals from throughout Long Island

Pride for Youth in partnership with the National Black Leadership Commision (NBLCA)on AIDS held the breakfast forum, Are You Ready for PrEP: Bringing Health and Human Service Providers Together to Develop a Regional Plan for effective Implementation, on Wednesday, October 21,  2015 in Freeport, NY (flyer attached). Over 30 health and human professionals were in attendance and took part in some rich conversation about best practices for PrEP implementation here on LI! The goal of the forum and presentations were to focus on successes and challenges with PrEP implementation in Long Island, giving a brief overview of existing PrEP programs. Huge thanks to following organizations that participated in our presentations/panel discussion: NuHealth, NS-LIJ, AIDS Institute (NYC), Gilead, AIDS Institute (ADAP) and especially NBLCA!
                                                    Promotion for the Event

Event organizers, Pete Carney (PFY) and Rick-Anthony Richards Jr. (NBLCA) with our panel presenters from NuHealth, NS-LIJ, AIDS Institute and Gilead. 

Sunday, November 8, 2015

Meet our Peer Navigators!!

In August of this year, Pride for Youth hired and trained 7 new Peer Navigators, all young gay/bisexual men, ages 17-24. Our Peer Navigators are reaching out to the LGBTQ youth community. They are providing workshops on HIV, STIs and PrEP/PEP. They are working hard to get the community involved in Pride for Youth and let young people know about the services available to them! 


Pride for Youth Staff Present at the NYS LGBT Beyond the Epidemic Conference in Albany

Pride for Youth staff were honored to be selected to present at the statewide LGBT Beyond the Epidemic Conference in Albany this past July. The conference, organized by the Empire State Pride Agenda and NYS AIDS Institute, brought together over 200 health and human service providers from throughout the state. PFY Assistant Drector, Tawni Engel presented on LGBTQ Substance Abuse from a Mental Health Perspective; Supervising Social Worker, Galo Cunto, presented on Harnessing Established Social Media Platforms to Engage YMSM; and Director, Pete Carney, co-presented with Demetre Daskalakis, Asst. Commissioner Bureau of HIV/AIDS Prevention and Control, NYC DOHMH, on PrEP/PEP.
PFY Asst. Director, Tawni Engel

PFY Asst. Director, Tawni Engel

PFY Supervising Social Worker, Galo Cunto

PFY Supervising Social Worker, Galo Cunto

PFY Director, Pete Carney

PFY Director, Pete Carney


PFY's Pride Invasion 2015!!!

For the first time ever, Pride for Youth took part in the Queens, Long Island and NYC Pride Parades in June 2015. "As our free and confidential services continue to expand beyond Long Island, into Queens, we felt what better time than Pride Month to raise awareness of our services that are available to LGBTQ young people and young adults, from throughout LI and Queens" stated PFY Director, Pete Carney. Much thanks to our many youth participants and community supporters who joined us to celebrate Pride throughout the month of June!!

                                                              Queens Pride 2015

Queens Pride 2015

Queens Pride 2015

Long Island Pride 2015

Long Island Pride 2015

Long Island Pride 2015

NYC Pride 2015

NYC Pride 2015

NYC Pride 2015



Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Pride for Youth launches groundbreaking new HIV testing program on Long island!


Exciting News!! Pride for Youth is one of only 6 programs statewide, selected to be part of a NYS AIDS Institute Pilot Program to provide access to free Self-Administered HIV Testing Kits to those at risk for HIV infection. This new program, is open to all members of the LGBTQ community, age 17 years and up, or anyone who feels they may be at risk for HIV. Individuals will be given the opportunity to self-administer their own rapid HIV test, with the support of a PFY counselor, or take the test home to administer in the privacy of their home. PFY counseling staff will follow up with all participants to offer linkage to care and ongoing HIV prevention education and support. Call (516) 679-9000 ext 16 and speak with Jill Estes (jestes@longislandcrisiscenter.org) to get connected! All testing services are free and confidential.