July 30, 2009
NYC Councilman Bill de Blasio Wants Health Division for Gay Youths
David Foucher READ TIME: 1 MIN.
New York City Councilman Bill de Blasio wants to create a division in the health department to deal with issues confronting gay, lesbian and transgender youths.
De Blasio says one-third of the city's homeless youths are gay, lesbian or transgender. He says many of them are "falling through the cracks of our social services net.''
City health officials say the HIV infection rate among 13- to 19-year-old males who have sex with other males doubled between 2001 and 2006.
The division would address suicide, depression, violence and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases among gay, lesbian and transgender people up to age 24.
De Blasio has proposed legislation to create the division.
David Foucher is the CEO of the EDGE Media Network and Pride Labs LLC, is a member of the National Lesbian & Gay Journalist Association, and is accredited with the Online Society of Film Critics. David lives with his daughter in Dedham MA.
