While New York City has a massive concentration of LGBTQ+ services, New York State is vast. If you live outside the NYC metro area or are traveling upstate, your access to specialized sexual healthcare will depend on reaching one of several regional hub cities.

📍 Western New York (Buffalo & Rochester)

The western part of the state is well-served by two major, deeply respected LGBTQ+ health centers.

Buffalo: Evergreen Health

Evergreen Health (evergreenhs.org) is the primary anchor for LGBTQ+ care in Western New York. Originally founded as an AIDS service organization, it has grown into a comprehensive medical provider.

  • Services: PrEP/PEP, full STI testing, HIV care, DoxyPEP, and behavioral health.
  • Access: They accept Medicaid and the Essential Plan, and operate a pharmacy on-site.

Rochester: Trillium Health

Trillium Health (trilliumhealth.org) serves Rochester and the Finger Lakes region. Like Evergreen, it is a primary LGBTQ+ community health center.

  • Services: They provide rapid STI testing, PrEP access, and specialized transgender and gender-affirming care. They are highly adept at navigating NYS PrEP-AP and Medicaid for uninsured patients.

📍 Central & Capital Regions (Syracuse & Albany)

Access in Central New York and the Capital Region relies heavily on AIDS service organizations and hospital-affiliated clinics rather than standalone LGBTQ+ health centers.

Syracuse & Central NY: ACR Health

ACR Health is a major community-based organization serving Central, Northern, and parts of Western New York.

  • While they do not provide primary medical care directly like Callen-Lorde, they operate robust testing services, syringe exchanges, and provide aggressive PrEP and PEP navigation to connect you with affirming local doctors.

Albany: Albany Medical Center

In the Capital Region, Albany Medical Center’s Division of HIV Medicine is a primary hub for both HIV treatment and PrEP care. Additionally, the Alliance for Positive Health serves the Albany area (and stretching up to Plattsburgh) with STI testing, harm reduction, and care navigation.

🗺️ Rural New York

If you are in rural upstate New York (e.g., the North Country or rural Southern Tier), finding an affirming, knowledgeable provider in-person can be very difficult.

Do not rely on rural urgent care centers or general practitioners for complex sexual healthcare like PrEP or DoxyPEP if they express hesitation. Instead, use NY-licensed telehealth platforms (like Mistr or Q Care Plus) to get your medication delivered directly.

Related: