About Us

Symbolic support—rainbow logos, Pride sponsorships, June declarations—may raise visibility, but visibility without permanence isn't safety. LGBTQ+ Americans are more than twice as likely as their non-LGBTQ+ peers to experience discrimination in healthcare settings, according to a 2021 study by the Center for American Progress. And nearly 1 in 3 transgender adults report having to teach their provider about trans-specific healthcare. In this context, the difference between symbolic allyship and competent, affirming care becomes life-altering.

This moment calls for a rethinking of how we build systems and which institutions we entrust with our care. Healthcare, mental health, and supportive services for queer communities must no longer be treated as add-ons or profit-seeking gestures.

1. Why Large Institutions Fall Short

Academic, for-profit, and nonprofit healthcare systems in Utah have made meaningful gestures toward LGBTQ+ inclusion. But no matter how well-intentioned or well-designed, these programs are often embedded within institutions constrained by budgets, return on investment (ROI), and reputational risk. A 2022 report from the American Medical Association found that LGBTQ+ initiatives in academic medical centers are especially vulnerable to legislative backlash and internal budget cuts—leading to clinic closures, staff reassignment, and fragmented care.

These systems, however well-intentioned, are built on foundations that shift with political tides. State-affiliated institutions operate within volatile legislative frameworks, while even large nonprofits adjust priorities in response to risk management and policy pressure. In a climate where queer health is routinely politicized, sustained, reliable care becomes difficult—if not impossible—to guarantee.

2. The Extraction Problem

When LGBTQ+ programs exist within healthcare systems, they often follow a familiar pattern: they attract insured patients, generate grants, and enhance the organization's public image—while the resulting profits are redirected back into the broader institution. These programs typically rely on soft funding, discretionary budgets, and the efforts of individual champions. When priorities shift—or political pressures mount—they fade. Clinics close. Staff are reassigned. Care becomes fragmented.

But even without legislative or policy hostility—even with consistent institutional support—the model remains flawed. It pushes uninsured and underinsured queer people into public systems that may offer basic primary care but lack the specialized knowledge, training, and cultural competency to meet the specific needs of LGBTQ+ populations.

At UAF Legacy Health, we're making a different kind of commitment: to build a healthcare institution that outlasts individual providers, with governance rooted in community values and care models designed to withstand the volatility of shifting administrative priorities. Our approach reinvests the revenue from insured queer patients—and their allies—back into queer care itself, ensuring access for those who can't afford to pay, those with gaps in insurance or employment, and those navigating high deductibles or delays in coverage. We're not extracting value from the community—we're circulating it, sustaining it, and protecting it.

Reciprocity matters—our community gives us their trust. In return, we're building something that won't vanish.

3. A Case for Alignment and Commitment

We are at a crossroads. Queer patients, affirming providers, and allies each have a chance to shape the future of healthcare in Utah. That future won't build itself. It will take coordinated, structural commitment.

Here's what we're asking:

Queer Patients:

Make UAF Legacy Health your medical home. Not just because it's affirming, but because it's designed for long-term resilience. Your presence anchors a system that's built to withstand pressure and grow.

Queer-Affirming Providers:

Refer your LGBTQ+ patients who need affirming primary, sexual, or gender-affirming care. Tell your colleagues about what we do. Help us spread the word about a healthcare system built for resilience, not just visibility. Whether you're sending patients our way, amplifying our mission, or looking for a place to practice that aligns with your values—your support matters.

Non-Queer Patients and Allies:

Get your regular healthcare here. Each visit strengthens a system designed to protect vulnerable access. You don't have to be queer to invest in our mission. Showing up matters.

At UAF Legacy Health, we're not just providing queer care—we're anchoring it. We're:

• Embedding governance rooted in queer values
• Creating trauma-informed, peer-accountable models
• Shielding patients from the volatility of policy and legislative changes
• Designing an institution that will protect continuity of care regardless of ability to pay

We are building a clinic that says—no matter the climate—you still have somewhere to go.