Monthly CBO Spotlight: East Bay Community Action Program

Our primary care transformation efforts often include the support and partnership of community-based organizations (CBOs) statewide. CTC-RI is spotlighting a different CBO each month to recognize and appreciate their work in our communities. This month, we're spotlighting East Bay Community Action Program and their Transgender Whole Healthcare (TWH) Program. EBCAP has Primary, Behavioral and Dental Health Centers throughout the East Bay. Their programs and services go beyond the four walls of their Centers, reaching throughout our communities and neighborhoods. 

In which ways does your organization, and this program, uniquely support Rhode Islanders?

East Bay Community Action Program’s TWH program is an interdepartmental initiative designed to fill gaps in care experienced by the LGBTQIA+ population, with a special focus on gender affirmation. The program works to provide East Bay residents with access to gender affirming hormone therapies, PrEP, educational opportunities, networking and outreach, community connections, and peer navigation. The program also provides professional development opportunities for other organizations that are looking to improve their LGBTQIA+ cultural humility, policies, and practices.

How can a partnership with primary care providers strengthen your work?

Partnering with primary care providers both inside EBCAP’s Health Division and outside the organization allows the TWH program to build community connections and provide services and supports to LGBTQIA+ people outside our pool of current patients. It also allows TWH to help improve the health experiences of LGBTQIA+ Rhode Islanders by building the capacity of other systems of care through professional development offerings.

What's something you'd like the primary care community to understand about your organization?

Quinten Foster, Director of TWH, believes that the primary care community would greatly benefit from learning more about gender diversity, and EBCAP’s TWH program is uniquely positioned to support their learning needs! The LGBTQIA+ community has a unique set of experiences and needs that primary care can address skillfully when culturally responsive programs are designed with intentionality.

Want to get in touch?

Contact Quinten Foster, MS, Director of TWH at 401-848-2160 or TransHealthInitiative@ebcap.org