Law Harrington Senior Living Center: A Place for LGBTQ Seniors to Live with Dignity & Pride

There is strong evidence that housing impacts health. Housing stability, quality, safety, and affordability all affect health outcomes. Housing is “one of the best-researched social determinants of health, and selected housing interventions for low-income people have been found to improve health outcomes and decrease health care costs” (Health Affairs).

The Montrose Center’s Law Harrington Senior Living Center (LHSLC) represents one venture to improve housing options for seniors in Houston, Texas. The Center hosted its grand opening on June 24. As an LGBTQ-affirming center, the LHSLC offers specific programs and policies to support LGBTQ residents and protect them from discrimination. Since one of Achieving Together’s focus areas is cultivating a stigma-free climate of appreciation and inclusion, we interviewed staff from the new Senior Living Center to learn more about the program.

Photo by Alex Rosa for OutSmart magazine

How did the Senior Living Center get started?

For over 40 years, the Montrose Center has empowered our community of primarily lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals and their families to live healthier, more fulfilling lives by providing a number of critical programs to LGBTQ Houstonians.

Housing is one of the greatest financial challenges and, correspondingly, one of the greatest needs for older adults across the nation. One in eight LGBQ adults and one in four transgender adults in the U.S. say they have experienced housing discrimination on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, there are at least nine seniors waiting for one occupied unit of affordable elderly housing nation-wide. In some cases, a senior can spend three to five years on the wait list for access to affordable housing. As in the Montrose neighborhood, many long-time senior residents of the larger Third Ward area are seeing their rents and property taxes increase beyond their means.

Unfortunately, there are few options for those who seek to downsize and remain independent, save for very poorly maintained and unsecured apartment complexes. The Greater Third Ward is currently undergoing rapid demographic shifts due to redevelopment trends and increased interest in the area’s comparatively affordable real estate, creating gentrification.

The vast majority of LGBTQ-affirming neighborhoods, businesses, churches, and service organizations remain centrally located to Montrose and the surrounding areas. However, the lack of affordable housing in Montrose has pushed many LGBTQ low-income seniors, and longtime residents of Third Ward, to seek more affordable, yet less community-centric, areas. These areas may be away from their friends, family, and social support services.

In 2015, led by honorary campaign co-chairs, former Mayor Annise Parker and State Representative Garnet Coleman, the Montrose Center launched the “There’s No Place Like Home” campaign to help fund the Law Harrington Senior Living Center, with a commitment to providing an affordable senior-housing community that is also LGBTQ-affirming. The project was first made possible by a land grant for the 2.87 acre lot from the Midtown Redevelopment Authority, initiated by State Representative Garnet Coleman with the support of Midtown Redevelopment Authority staff.

What are the goals of the Law Harrington?

The goal of the Law Harrington is to provide seniors a place able to age with dignity and pride in a stable, safe, and affirming community, with access to specialized services and support. This project will also serve as the cornerstone of the Montrose Center’s comprehensive approach to support seniors, regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation. We really see the Law Harrington becoming a hub for our LGBTQ seniors and hope it will become a vibrant community where seniors from all across the city, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, can come to enjoy critically needed services and programs.

It’s mentioned on the website that there are services for seniors living with HIV. What sort of HIV services will be available?

We have Legacy Community Health providing onsite primary care services for residents and the larger community. Seniors living with HIV will be able to take advantage of the clinic for check-up appointments and other medical needs. Staff from the Montrose Center will also be available onsite to provide case management, educational programs, advocacy, and service linkage, and can make referrals to other Center staff located at our main building for interpreter services, individual, couple/family, and or group counseling, or other needs.

What would you like for people to know or understand about the Senior Living Center?

The Law Harrington Senior Living Center is named after Charles Law and Gene Harrington. Charles Law was a significant force in the gay and lesbian communities in Houston. He was Co-Chair of the Executive Committee for Houston’s Town Meeting in 1978. He was also the founder of the Houston Committee, a black gay men’s professional organization, active in the late 1970s.

(Eugene) Gene Harrington, a tireless gay-rights activist, worked with the Houston AIDS Equity League, the Houston Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus, and the Texas Human Rights Foundation, receiving honors from all for outstanding volunteerism. 

The complex is the largest LGBTQ-affirming senior housing complex in the nation (137,838 SF) and features 112 one- and two-bedroom, independent living apartments for low-income seniors ages 62 and above. Rental is limited to single older adults and couples whose annual income is below a certain amount, the details of which are based on an annual calculation of income from the Houston area. The Law Harrington provides apartments at the following area median income (AMI) levels:

  • 24 units at 30% AMI
  • 45 units at 50% AMI
  • 43 units at 60% AMI

Additional features of the property include: a social services department managed by the Montrose Center, geriatric primary care clinic provided by Legacy Community Health, a group dining area, meeting and game rooms, a fitness center, dog park, and outdoor recreational spaces.

The most important thing to know about the complex is that it is LGBTQ-affirming, meaning that it is a safe, affirming place for LGBTQ seniors to live with dignity, pride, and without fear of hiding their sexual orientation or gender identity. While the complex is LGBTQ-affirming, it is open to all seniors who meet the age and income requirements.

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ThrHIVing: Strong, Resilient, Black Women Taking Action to End HIV & Mental Health Stigma

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and to honor it, the Black Women’s Affinity Group, in collaboration with Achieving Together, is hosting a webinar to bust myths and offer support for women living with HIV. This webinar, entitled, “ThrHIVing: Strong, Resilient, Black Women Taking Action to End HIV and Mental Health Stigma” will take place on Monday, May 10th, at 11:00 a.m. Central Time both on Zoom and Facebook Live (through the Achieving Together Texas Facebook page). See the link at the bottom of the blog for registration details.

It is widely known that receiving a diagnosis for any disease can take an emotional toll on a person’s mental health; however, when that disease has stigma associated with it, the risk for mental health complications increases greatly. One study of over 2,800 individuals living with HIV showed that approximately 36% also experienced serious depression and almost 16% experienced increased anxiety.

In the creation of the Achieving Together Plan, community members decided that eliminating stigma by cultivating a stigma-free climate of appreciation and inclusion would be one of the six focus areas needed to have a high impact on the goals of the plan. The Black Women’s Affinity Group is working hard to eliminate the stigma associated with HIV in Texas, particularly among Black women. This group, in collaboration with Achieving Together, is composed of community members working to address disproportionate transmission rates,  health disparities for Black women, and  access to care. The focus of the Black Women’s Affinity Group is to address gaps in connecting with clients, providers, and community through culturally responsive and affirming messaging, provide culturally affirming and empowering self-care, and to ensure Black women are included as decision-makers in regard to prevention and care programming from a planning, financing, and implementation standpoint. 

As part of their work, the affinity group has hosted a series of Did You Know? webinars entitled, “DYK Dialogues.” Their upcoming webinar, facilitated by group member Mattyna L Stephens, features a number of speakers, including:

  • Shadawn McCants, CEO of Know and Live Counseling and Consulting, PLLC, (keynote address) Mental Health Professional and HIV Advocate
  • Sharonda Lynn,Community Advocate and Activist
  • Mia Porter, Community Advocate and Activist
  • Bonnie Samuel, Playwright/Poet

The webinar will address how Black women respond to and thrive with an HIV diagnosis while often confronting the associated fear, shame, and stigma they might experience. The webinar seeks to not only address these concerns, but also offer support and resources for navigating systems of care and accessing culturally-affirming mental health resources.

We asked the keynote speaker, Shadawn McCants, to share her thoughts on a few questions to give a preview of the wisdom she will be sharing on the webinar.

AT: What motivated you to get involved in mental health advocacy?

SM: My motivation was from my own experiences with mental health since childhood. Since the age of remembrance I have always stated I wanted to be a social worker. As I matured, attended college and began working in the arena of mental health it was inevitable that I would become an advocate due to the disparities and lack of access to culturally competent care for marginalized communities and individuals.

AT: What are some of the biggest challenges for Black Women accessing mental health services?

SM: One of the biggest challenges is the belief that Black Women are Super Heroes or invincible therefore they don’t need mental health treatment. Very often the assumption is that Black Women “got it.” The expectation of Black Women is to live up to the cliché Strong Black Woman…well that is a myth! Far too many Black Women have internalized this mantra. It halts their ability to ask for help when needed or results in their symptoms being ignored when brought to the attention of medical/clinical professionals.  Additional barriers include access to culturally competent professionals (i.e., Black therapist) and affordable services.

AT: Why is it important for people to understand the unique intersectionality of stigma, living with HIV, and mental health? How does the unique intersectionality of stigma, living with HIV, and mental health impact Black Women’s health outcomes?

SM: The intersectionality of stigma, living with HIV and mental health is impacted by the sheer fact that a diagnosis of HIV is PTSD! It is traumatic and requires a level of mental and emotional wellness from the moment an individual is given the (HIV) diagnosis. When stigma becomes internalized shame and is untreated, ignored, or violated by the systems that were built to protect them, it results in mistrust, disappointment and at worst a defeated mindset that may impact their desire and drive to get or stay in care.

Want to hear more from Shadawn and the other presenters? Join us and register here today (and make sure to share widely!)

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Empowering & Assisting Homeless LGBTQ+ Youth in Texas

April 10 is National Youth HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. This is a day to educate the public about the impact of HIV and AIDS on young people. The day also highlights the HIV prevention, treatment, and care campaigns of young people in the U.S.

Here in Texas, several organizations work to support a particularly vulnerable population: homeless LBGTQ youth. One of these organizations is Thrive Youth Center, Inc. in San Antonio. Thrive was established as a 501(c)(3) in February of 2015, and their mission is to “provide a safe, effective, and supportive center for homeless LGBTQ youth, so they may become productive, skilled, educated, and successful adults with the ability, opportunity, and possibility of achieving their dreams.” Thrive’s emergency shelter, which is located on Haven for Hope’s campus, opened in 2015, and currently there are 10 beds for LGBTQ young adults ages 18-24. In addition to clients onsite in the shelter, Thrive received a federal grant in 2017 that allowed them to house 20 young adults in their own apartments with rental assistance for up to one year. Through its street outreach program, Thrive strives to get young adults off the streets and into shelter, either at Thrive or through another program.

Services provided by Thrive include:

  • Case management
  • Education services
  • Empowerment resources
  • Mental health services
  • Life skills
  • Medical care
  • Legal services
  • Aftercare support for residents after leaving Thrive

Thrive is one of only a handful LGBTQ-specific programs serving homeless youth in Texas. Others include the Dune LGBT Foundation in Dallas. Dune’s programs offer emergency housing resources, rapid rehousing programs, housing programs offer an expected stay of up to 6 months. Tony’s Place in Houston also works to empower homeless LGBTQ+ youth and helps them “survive on a day-to-day basis by providing services to meet their immediate, basic needs.”

While not a shelter, Out Youth, based in Austin, provides much needed services and care to LGBTQ youth. Out Youth has compiled several resources guides, which can be found here. 

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Reflecting on the “NOTHING ABOUT US WITHOUT US IS FOR US” Webinar on National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

March 10th is National Women and Girls HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, and we here at Achieving Together Texas would like to honor that day by reflecting on a recent webinar hosted by the Black Women’s Affinity Group of the Texas HIV Syndicate. Black women represent 10% of people living with HIV in Texas and represented 8% of all new HIV diagnoses in 2018 in Texas. The CDC provides an informative fact sheet as well about women living with HIV in the United States.

Since Black women are one of the five vulnerable populations disproportionately affected by HIV in Texas, the Black Women’s Affinity Group and the Texas Black Women’s Health Initiative work to address health issues affecting Black women in Texas. The affinity group recently kicked off a webinar series entitled, DYK (Did You Know?). As part of the series, they hosted a webinar on February 8th addressing medical mistrust in the Black community, medical research for HIV/Covid19 involving Black women, and how to identify “good” research. The webinar included a panel of experts who each presented on different topics. Presenters included:

  • Mandy Hill, DrPH, MPH, Director of Population Health and Associate Professor, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston’s McGovern Medical School & Delta Sigma Theta
  • Teriya Richmond, MD, Chief Medical Officer, AIDS Foundation Houston
  • Shanterra McBride, Alpha Kappa Alpha
  • Jennifer Jones, Zeta Phi Beta
  • Camille White, MD, Sigma Gamma Rho
  • Karen Shores, community advocate

The webinar included a mixture of presentations, interactive polls, and open discussions and prompted some great questions and responses from attendees. One organizer, Sattie Nyachwaya, a Community Engagement Coordinator with Prism Health North Texas, shared her thoughts on the webinar afterwards:

“Being a part of this webinar was a huge honor for me. Being in the space with some powerful Black women involved in this work for many years continues to inspire and motivate me in my long term personal and professional development. One of the things I took from this webinar was empowerment behind medical research. I was never aware that Black women are needed to be a part of medical research, and that we take back the power and break barriers by being active in our own health. I believe that mental health is a part of the foundation of Black women’s health, and by having open conversations with our providers and asking questions we make sure we are at the table with conversations of change. I learned that mistrust lives among misinformation, and it is so important in my own health to empower myself to ask and speak up.”

As part of the work of Achieving Together, the Black Women’s Affinity Group works to empower their community through social justice, education, and advocacy, while working towards the goal of eliminating health disparities and HIV in Black women and all Texans.

You can watch the entire webinar below:

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Sex Ed 2021: Pandemic Edition. Promoting Safe(r) Sex During COVID-19

“I have a confession: I’ve had sex since social distancing began. With someone I met on Tinder, someone I don’t live with. And I know friends doing the same. 

With the pandemic still a major concern across the United States, people having sex or even just wanting to have sex may feel shame — even more shame than usual in this Puritanical wasteland. We’ve been told to abstain from pleasure and release at a time where we need it most.”

This is the opening to Anna Iovine’s article “The practical guide to mid-pandemic sex, because abstinence isn’t cutting it.”    While the safest approach is to abstain from sex with partners outside of you household, this doesn’t work for many people.  Like early messages about HIV prevention, abstinence may be the ideal but we’ve learned that for most people, negotiating safety when it comes to sex is the most practical strategy.  Sexual harm reduction approaches have long been a staple in the HIV world, but now those approaches are expanding to help guide people during the COVID crisis.

Achieving Together is excited to partner with Kind Clinic to share their strategies and approaches to supporting communities during this time of uncertainty, particularly around sexual health and wellness. Kind Clinic’s approach to education is non-judgmental, sex positive, and playful in order to develop educational but relatable messaging. We’re excited to share their efforts to help inform and shape other work across the state in supporting communities.

From Kind Clinic:

Safer sex practices have been and always will be vital to the community’s sexual health, but having responsible, safe sex is even more important now during the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. COVID-19 has introduced new challenges to sexual health education and outreach. At Texas Health Action’s Kind Clinic, we are educating the community on how to reduce the risk of contracting HIV, STIs and COVID-19, while STILL enjoying a healthy sex life. The most effective tools for us have been colorful, fun, and easy to read graphics. Our “Safer Sex During COVID-19” infographic is a great example.

Additionally, Kind Clinic has actively used traditional media such as the Austin Chronicle to highlight and share information on negotiating sexual health during the pandemic.  Holly Bullion, a nurse practitioner and director of clinical quality at the clinic, has taken opportunities to share information when possible.  In the Austin Chronicle article Kissing Is Out, Glory Holes Are In for Students During Pandemic, Bullion continues the practice of sharing critical information in a relatable and non-judgmental fashion as can be seen in the excerpt below.

(Holly Bullion, Kind Clinic; photo courtesy of Austin Chronicle)

Holly Bullion, nurse practitioner and director of clinical quality with Texas Health Action, the parent organization of Kind Clinic, says during the pandemic sexual “playtime” should be focused below the waist. COVID is transmitted through respiratory droplets, so kissing and sexual activities that involve the mouth come with increased risk of viral spread.

“It’s really best to keep your mouth out of any kind of in-person sex play,” explained Bullion. “Or really diligently use barrier methods like dental dams or external or internal condoms.”

She emphasized there are many places for people to get tested and treated for STIs without feeling stigmatized. People should not avoid getting tested for fear of judgment for having sex during the pandemic.

“For many of us, sex is a really important outlet,” said Bullion. “Being sex positive and empowering yourself and knowing what your resources are, I think is the most important thing.”

To complete their messaging, the clinic has created and shared numerous fun social media posts that reflect their emphasis on harm reduction and safety.  We are sharing several to highlight the frank and honest approach.

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