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 After more than ten years,
the HIV Center intervention "Working It Out for Gay, Lesbian,
and Bisexual Youth" continues to be disseminated
throughout New York State and beyond, with new partnerships
in development.
A video-based, manualized intervention program for lesbian,
 gay, and bisexual (LGB)
adolescents, Working It Out was developed jointly by researchers,
representatives from community-based organizations (CBOs),
and youth. "This intervention is designed to help youth
develop skills to manage their developing social and sexual
roles and to cope with the stress of stigma, discrimination,
and heterosexism," said Principal Investigator
Joyce Hunter, D.S.W.
"These stressful experiences put many LGB young people
at high risk for a variety of negative outcomes including
HIV transmission, drug use, and suicide."
 The intervention video
and manual were first developed in 1994 by Hunter and the
Media Group of the HIV Center, with close collaboration
with LGB youths and the CBOs that serve them. The video
consists of fourteen brief vignettes, totaling 30 minutes,
which present difficult situations that commonly face LGB
youth, including rejection by family, suicidal ideation,
sexual abuse, and drug use. As part of the intervention,
youths discuss their reactions and consider strategies
for dealing with the stressful events.
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Nine agencies from throughout the Greater New York Area
participated in the initial phase of the Working It Out
Program, examining the efficacy of Center of Queens County
(ACQC), Queens; Center Lane, Westchester Jewish Community
Services Center, White Plains; Health Outreach to Teens
(HOTT), Callen-Lorde Community Health Center; Green Chimneys
Children's Services, New York City; Hetrick Martin Institute
(HMI), New York City; Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth
(LIGALY), Bayshore; Pride for Youth (Long Island Crisis
Center), Bellmore; Shades of Lavender, Brooklyn AIDS Task
Force, Brooklyn; and the Youth Enrichment Services (YES),
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community Center,
New York City.
 In 2007, eight of the
nine original agencies have continued to offer the intervention.
Agencies have also incorporated the curriculum into peer
leadership programs for youth and other agency trainings,
have used Working It Out in public school trainings, and
have developed training curricula for both transgender
youth and for young adult MSM. Further, the intervention
has been implemented by several additional agencies in
New York City, as well as in Salt Lake City, UT, Boston,
MA, St. Louis, MO, and Baltimore, MD. The most recent training
was held by the Maryland State Department of Health for
several grantee agencies serving the LGB population.
New partnerships within and outside New York City and State
are steadily evolving.
"There is a whole new generation of lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender young people who have to address coming
out and other stressful life experiences," notes Hunter.
"We're proud that after so many years, Working It Out is
still in the forefront of HIV prevention with these youths."
To read more about Working It Out,
click here for an article in Body Positive Magazine.
To learn about how you can order the video,
click here.
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