18 NYC Health + Hospitals Facilities Recognized as LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leaders by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation
NYC Health + Hospitals facilities have consistently received the designation since 2015
Jun 16, 2026
New York, NY – NYC Health + Hospitals today announced that 18 of its facilities – all 11 hospitals and 7 Gotham Health primary care sites – were named 2026 LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leaders by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation. All 18 sites earned the top score of 100 for their commitment to serving LGBTQ+ patients with best practices for equity and inclusion. NYC Health + Hospitals facilities have consistently received the designation since 2015. The recognition was part of the Foundation’s biennial 2026 Healthcare Equality Index, the industry standard benchmarking tool for LGBTQ+ inclusion and equity practices in the health care field. The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization. Read the full 2026 Healthcare Equality Index here.
“As the largest municipal health care system in the country, in a city with the largest LGBTQ+ population in the country, NYC Health + Hospitals remains dedicated to providing safe and affirming care for the LGBTQ+ community. No exceptions,” said James Derham, Director for LGBTQ+ Equity at NYC Health + Hospitals. “NYC Health + Hospitals is proud to announce that all 18 of our eligible facilities have earned the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader designation again in 2026 – a recognition these facilities have earned consistently since 2015. We are honored to be part of the 44% of participating facilities nationwide earning this highest designation. This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to align our facilities with nationwide best practices regarding non-discrimination and staff training, patient services and support, employee benefits and polities, and patient and community engagement. This recognition reflects our ongoing commitment to advancing LGBTQ+ equity for our patients, visitors, employees, and the communities we serve.”
The 18 NYC Health + Hospitals facilities achieving the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader award are:
Bronx
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Belvis
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Morrisania
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln
- NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx
Brooklyn
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, East New York
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Cumberland
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County
- NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull
Manhattan
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Gouverneur
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Sydenham
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Harlem
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan
Queens
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens
Staten Island
- NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Vanderbilt
“Health care access for the LGBTQ+ community in 2026 is a tale of both important progress and dangerous setbacks,” said Kelley Robinson, president of the Human Rights Campaign. “Even amid extraordinary pressure, many healthcare institutions are continuing to show up for LGBTQ+ patients and staff. Doctors want to take care of their patients in the best way they can. Even so, disinformation campaigns driven by a small minority of politicians who use trans youth as a scapegoat for their own failures and who are dismantling HIV care are having a real impact on people’s lives. It’s vital for all LGBTQ+ people to get the most accurate information we have on access to care across the country and we are proud of the ways in which the Healthcare Equality Index helps the community understand this.”
The Healthcare Equality Index helps healthcare facilities maintain and strengthen LGBTQ+-inclusive care even under extraordinary pressure. The report offers aggregate findings, benchmarks, and guidance for adaptation. The standard remains: every patient deserves safe, respectful, inclusive, dignified care. In 2026:
- Nearly 750 health care facilities completed the Healthcare Equality Index survey
- Of these, 44% received the LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader designation, and 46% earned High Performer status.
- In total, nearly 90% of all facilities surveyed achieved one of the top designations
- This year included 49 new participants, and 53 facilities improved their designation from prior years.
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Press Contact:PressOffice@nychhc.org
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About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
About The Human Rights Campaign (HRC)
The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) is the nation’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) people, with 3.6 million members and supporters. The HRC Foundation (a 501(c)(3)) works to ensure LGBTQ+ people are safe, seen and supported where it matters most: at school, at work and in every community across the country. From the courtroom to the classroom, from Congress to corporate America, HRC and the HRC Foundation build power through partnerships, storytelling, and action—working to create a future rooted in equity, freedom and belonging for all LGBTQ+ people.