Youth in general, have many unmet physical and emotional needs. A recent federal assessment of adolescent health concerns estimates that 1 in 5 of the nation’s more than 40 million youth suffers from at least one serious health problem, while as many as 1 in 4 are believed to be at high risk for school failure, delinquency, early unprotected sexual intercourse, or substance abuse. Access to care is limited: among all age groups, adolescents are the most uninsured and underinsured group and are the least likely to receive office-based medical care or to use primary care services. Homelessness among youth only exasperates the health disparities that many youth face, particularly gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth (GLBTQ).
The Bayard Rustin Initiative, named in honor of openly gay civil rights leader Bayard Rustin, is a major component of the agency’s Mpowerment Project, an effective behavioral intervention targeting young men who have sex with men. A core component of the project is a drop in center known as Rustin’s Place; a safe space for young men who are sexually active, and who are concerned about reducing the rate of new HIV infections among young men who have sex with men.
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