Resources for LGBTQ+ Students

Columbia Health provides several resources for LGBTQ+ Students. For urgent support from a Sexual Violence Response (SVR) advocate, please call (212) 854-4357, available 24/7. For urgent medical support, including PEP initiation, please call Medical Services at 212-854-7426, available 24/7. For urgent mental health care, please call Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS) at 212-854-2878, available 24/7. 

On this page

Resources for LGBTQ+ Students
Get Connected to Care
Support Spaces
Manage your name and pronouns in University systems
Relationships
Stress
Alcohol and Substance Use
Additional Resources
Specialized Columbia Health Team Members

Resources for LGBTQ+ Students 

Columbia Health understands that LGBTQ+ students have particular physical, emotional, sexual, and gender-affirming health needs and concerns. We are committed to addressing these concerns through a wide range of resources. This page lists several of the resources within Columbia Health that may be relevant to LGBTQ+ students. 

Resources on this page include mental health care, medical care, sexual and reproductive health, professional and peer advocacy from SVR, health education, and support for transgender and gender expansive care, relationships, stress, and alcohol and substance use. 

Get Connected to Care

For Counseling Appointments: You may schedule an appointment with a provider at Counseling and Psychological Services (CPS). 

For CPS Drop-in Hours: You may attend the drop-ins listed on the Counseling Drop-In Visits page. 

Gender and Sexual Health specific drop-ins are on Thursdays, 5 - 8 p.m. EST at Lerner 502. 

The list of CPS members who specialize in sexuality and gender identity can be found at the bottom of this page

For Medical Appointments: You may schedule an appointment with a provider at Medical Services through the Patient Portal. 

For Gender Affirming Care: Learn about high-quality, affirming, accessible care available to students.

For Medical Emergencies, including PEP initiation: Please contact Medical Services at 212-854-7426, available 24/7. 

For SRH appointments: You may email [email protected] with a few dates and times that you’re available.  

For SRH Drop-in Hours: You may attend the drop-ins listed on the Drop-in Hours page.  

During these SRH visits, you can meet with an advocate from the Gay Health Advocacy Project (GHAP) within Alice! Health Promotion to discuss topics, such as sex, birth control options, STI and HIV prevention and testing (including PrEP), pregnancy options, and identity. 

For SVR appointments: You may schedule an appointment with an advocate at SVR by calling (212) 854-4357 (24/7) or (212) 854-3500 during regular business hours. 

For SVR Drop-in Hours: You may attend drop-ins Monday – Friday: 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. in Lerner (Suite 700). 

If you have experienced a sexual assault: Contact Columbia Public Safety at 212-854-5555 or the New York City Police Department at 911. 

During visits with SVR, you can meet with an advocate from SVR to receive confidential support through crisis counseling and intervention, advocacy, prevention, and outreach focused on sexual, intimate partner, and gender-based violence and harassment. SVR advocates can also help survivors of violence make informed decisions about their medical, legal, and disciplinary options. 

LGBTQ+ students may speak confidentially with a health education specialist on a broad range of health and well-being topics at Health Education Drop-in Hours or by scheduling a Health Education Visit. 

Not sure which resources will best suit your needs? 

You can schedule a health promotion appointment with an Alice! Health Promotion staff member to get connected to resources to make informed decisions about your health. Alice! is a confidential resource. 

Support Spaces 

When there is sufficient student interest, CPS offers support groups and other special programs for LGBTQ+ students. If you don’t find something that meets your needs, please contact Anne Goldfield to plan a support group. 

Manage your name and pronouns in University systems

Manage your name in use on Vergil

Students can enter their name-in-use directly in Vergil. This information is fed directly to the Columbia Health Patient Portal. Please note that data is not synced automatically and may take a few days to render in our system.

You can find more information about Columbia's preferred name policy on the Registrar's website.

Manage your pronouns on the Patient Portal

Students can enter their pronouns directly in the Columbia Health Patient Portal.

There are fields in one’s user profile where students can identify and edit their pronouns and gender identity. Learn more.

Tell your provider to use your legal name for prescriptions

Official documents such as prescriptions for medication require individuals to use their legal name in order to be processed. If you are receiving a prescription, please remind your provider to use the legal name listed on your student profile, if it is different from your chosen name.

Relationships 

For information about how to maintain and navigate relationships, including ones with your roommates, friends, professors, teaching assistants, romantic partners, and yourself, you can learn more about these topics in our health education page.

  • Relationships
  • Academic Relationships
  • Friendships 

If you’d like individualized assistance with developing healthy relationships, you can schedule an appointment with a CPS provider.  

Stress 

To manage stress, you may find it helpful to: 

  • Practice the strategies listed on our Stress page
  • Attend a Reducing & Managing Stress workshop. Open sessions are listed on the Columbia Health Events calendar. 

Alcohol and Substance Use 

To manage and assess your relationship with alcohol and other substances, you may find it helpful to complete the self-assessments for substances on the Self-Assessments page. 

Schedule an appointment with a BASICS provider after completing the self-assessments. 

You can learn more about these topics in our health education page.

  • Alcohol
  • Marijuana
  • Other Drugs 

 

Additional Resources 

Here are some additional mental and physical health resources and tips that you may find useful: 

Physical Health 

 

Mental Health 

 

Stress Management 

Specialized Columbia Health Team Members 

CPS has a number of providers that have specialized and advanced training in sexuality, sexual orientation, sexual functioning, and gender identity. LGBTQ+ Students are welcome to work with these providers and can check out their profiles below.