HRC Arkansas recently launched requests for proposals (RFPs) for its third annual LGBTQ-inclusive healthcare summit. The Equal Care for Equal Lives (ECEL) will be held on October 18-20, 2017, in Little Rock, Arkansas.

HRC launched the conference three years ago to address the myriad health disparities facing the LGBTQ community. Within medical spaces, discrimination stands as a leading issue facing the LGBTQ community.  Fear of discrimination causes many LGBTQ people to avoid seeking healthcare. And when they do enter care, studies indicate that LGBTQ people are not consistently treated with the respect that all patients deserve.

The conference goals include improvements of healthcare services for LGBTQ patients, inclusion in healthcare development, and enhancement of knowledge surrounding LGBTQ specific healthcare concerns. The theme for this year’s conference will be “LGBTQ Throughout the Ages,” addressing health concerns at each stage of life for the LGBTQ community.

The conference is planned through a collaboration of medical providers, community based organizations and consumer advocates. Previous conferences have included national experts on LGBTQ health such as Harvey Makadon of the Fenway Medical Institute and Harvard Medical School and Dr. Meredith Chapman of Gender Education and Care Interdisciplinary Support program. Previous conference sponsors and partners have included the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Planned Parenthood, Arkansas Minority Health Commission, and many more. 

If you are interested in joining this year’s conference as a presenter, the deadline to submit the proposal is June 16, 2017. The application can be found here: http://bit.ly/ECEL17. Guidelines will be listed on the application. If you would like more information, contact Lorraine Stigar at lorraine.stigar@hrc.org.