In the spirit of April having both STI Awareness Week and Public Health Week, we want to share news about the Family Planning Agency of South Central NY, now open as a part of Family and Children’s Counseling Services!

Syracuse and the surrounding areas have seen an increase in fentanyl-related overdoses and deaths. Here’s what you should know…

The last week in February of each year marks National Eating Disorder Awareness Week. Due to experiences of discrimination and trauma, LGBTQ people are twice as likely as their non-LGBTQ peers to develop a mental health disorder, including an eating disorder. LGBTQ people also have unique barriers to treatment and recovery. Here are some facts you should know…

As we experience an increase in snow storms so quintessential to Central NY, many folks are familiar with preparing their cars and homes for the winter weather. There are also many folks ready to take the opportunity to grab their skis, skates, and snowboards, but did you know that as many as 50% of sports-related concussions occur during winter sports? Winter weather-related injuries and deaths are more common than you may realize. Here are some tips on keeping yourself safe this winter…

Have you received your seasonal vaccine for influenza (“the flu”) yet? Though the CDC recommends that nearly everyone get one yearly, as many as half of Americans don’t receive an annual flu vaccine. Here’s some quick facts about the seasonal flu vaccine…

The Human Papillomavirus, or HPV, is the most common sexually transmitted infection. In fact, it’s so common that it’s estimated every sexually active person in the U.S. will have HPV at some point in their life. However, despite this, it’s typically not well-known or understood by most folks. Here’s what to know about HPV…

You may know that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but did you know that lesbian and bisexual women are at an increased risk of breast cancer compared to heterosexual women? This is partly due to the fact that lesbian and bisexual women are less likely to get routine health checks and mammograms. This in mind, let’s review the facts related to breast cancer…

September is Suicide Prevention Month. Unfortunately, suicidality is an issue that disproportionately affects LGBTQ people, especially youth and transgender individuals.

Monkeypox has just been declared a public health emergency by the White House as we’ve recently reached over 6600 confirmed cases in the United States. Notably, the largest portion of cases is in New York City. As of writing this, there are no confirmed cases of MPV in Cortland County, but there have been a couple of cases in Tompkins County. Here’s what you need to know…

Did you know that members of the LGBTQ community are more likely to contract Hepatitis A, B, and C? Hepatitis is a collection of viruses that can cause liver disease. Unfortunately, they’re viruses that many people have heard of but perhaps don’t fully understand, with a person dying every 30 seconds from a Hepatitis-related illness.

You may know the Human Immunodefiency Virus, or HIV, as a virus that attacks your immune system by gradually decreasing your CD4 white blood cell count until it falls below a certain threshold, leading to the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). You may also be familiar with how HIV has historically affected the LGBTQ community – especially gay and bisexual men – since the early 1980s, but you may not be aware of the current progress we’ve made toward HIV prevention and treatment. 

With an estimated 75% of Americans wearing some form of vision correction, it can be easy to overlook the importance of taking care of our eyes. While for many people, visual impairment is genetic or brought on by aging, there are certain measures we can take to preserve our vision and decrease the risk of eye diseases. This includes…

Did you know that at least 50% of Americans will contract a sexually transmitted infection, or STI? Many people are unaware of the commonality of STIs, such as chlamydia, herpes, trichomoniasis, gonorrhea, and HIV. This can lead to societal stigma, which in turn discourages folks from getting regular testing. STIs can be passed through any sexual contact, and no person is immune from risk. That said, there are many myths surrounding STIs, and with April being STI Awareness Month, let’s take some time now to review the facts…