COIN Clinic

Callen-Lorde firmly and without reservation supports the health, rights, and dignity of sex workers. We are opposed to laws that disproportionately regulate and criminalize bodily autonomy, sexuality and sexual and reproductive health and rights. We support the total decriminalization of sex work as an important step to protect and respect the human rights of all sex workers. We recognize sex work as meaningful and valuable work that provides economic opportunity for people selling and trading sex. We affirm that sex workers are not criminals to be stigmatized, but rather, members of an often exploited and under-protected working class. We stand in solidarity with sex workers demanding rights, the recognition of sex workers’ agency, decision-making capacity, and safe working conditions. We honor the different experiences that people may have with regards to the level of consent and control they experience around participating in the sex industry.  We understand the gray area between sex work and sex trafficking and want our services to be available to anyone in the sex industry, regardless of their level of agency in their work. We pledge to promote the rights of sex workers and to create a safe space for sex workers to obtain healthcare without judgment, fear, or stigmatization.

Callen-Lorde uses the Youth Women’s Empowerment Network of sex trade, which defines it as “any form of being sexual (or the idea of being sexual) in exchange for money, gifts, safety, drugs, hormones or survival needs such as housing, food, clothes or immigration and documentation- whether you get to keep the money/goods/service/or someone else profits from these acts”.  This means we support people engaged in any form of sexual labor, be it camming, escorting, stripping, BDSM, and all other forms of sex work.  In a nutshell, if you tell us you are a sex worker of any kind, you are welcome in this program.

In order to maintain the confidentiality and safety of our patients, we will not be indicating in your chart that you have been enrolled in the sex worker program but instead it will indicate that you have been enrolled in the COIN program.

We realize many sex workers have concerns about what is documented in their medical chart. Our providers will work with you to make sure you are comfortable with everything that gets written down or recorded during your visit.

When any patient’s chart at Callen-Lorde is subpoenaed, there are several steps that are taken to protect confidentiality of records.  When any request is made to disclose information by a law enforcement official a lawyer and/or the Compliance and Privacy Officers review the subpoena prior to any disclosure of records.  This is to ensure all proper channels have been followed by requesting a subpoena, and that we are able to disclose the least amount of information necessary to law enforcement. Whatever records are disclosed to law enforcement will be reported to the patient. Unless specifically requested, only basic information will be disclosed.

All patients of Callen-Lorde are treated regardless of ability to pay. When patients do not have insurance, we have an income-based sliding fee scale for care. The COIN Clinic has additional coverage so you will NOT BE CHARGED for any medications, labs, or care at Callen-Lorde (including copays/deductibles etc). If you have insurance, we will first bill care to your insurance. Any fees your insurance does not cover, (co-pays/deductibles, etc.) will be charged to the COIN Clinic and you will not be billed.

We recommend that all patients meet with one of our insurance navigators to discuss your health insurance options.  Although your care will be free at Callen-Lorde, any care received outside of Callen-Lorde such as specialty or emergency care, cannot be covered. Our Insurance Navigators can help you to decide what health insurance option might be right for you.

It is also important to note that at this time, the funding is temporary, and we are unaware how long it will last. If our program changes and we are no longer able to completely cover your care at Callen-Lorde, you will be alerted before further care is rendered.

If you are enrolled in the COIN Clinic, you should not receive a bill from Callen-Lorde.  If you are mistakenly sent a bill for care, such as medications or lab bills (that we ordered for you) please call 212-271-7253 to speak to a Billing Specialist.

Callen-Lorde partnered with Trans Equity Consulting to work with us on this program. The entire staff of Callen-Lorde has been trained on working with people in the sex trades and our providers (both medical and mental health) have received additional specific training on the best way to care for sex workers. Finally, Callen-Lorde convened 8 focus groups of all gender identities to help us inform this program. These recommendations were implemented to all aspects of the program and shared with the staff of the program.

As this is new program at Callen-Lorde, we very much welcome your feedback.  You can email feedback directly to fbrigham@callen-lorde.org or, you can call the patient experience department at 212-937-4836.  Finally, if you would like to get involved more directly with the program, you can apply to join our Community Advisory Board (CAB).  The application for this is on our website at https://callen-lorde.org/community-advisory-board/.

COIN is the manifestation of Cecilia’s dream and although it is difficult to imagine doing this work without her, we are humbled and honored to keep this vital lifeline open in her name. In honoring Cecilia’s passionate advocacy, Callen-Lorde stands ready to reinforce our efforts to support the full decriminalization of sex work in New York. We are here to support you, hold you in your grief, and continue providing free and competent health care for sex workers.

Save a Life: Carry Narcan, Use Drug Testing Strips

Naloxone, also known as its brand name Narcan, is a safe and effective medication used to counteract the effects of an opioid overdose. It can reverse the effects of opioids like heroin, morphine, fentanyl, prescription pain medications, and other synthetic opioids. Using naloxone is as easy as three simple steps: peel the packaging, place the device in one nostril, and press the plunger. Anyone can use or administer naloxone, and it is a safe way to completely reverse an opioid overdose.

Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid that can be deadly, even in very small amounts. Xylazine is a dangerous tranquilizer that, like Fentanyl, is found mixed with other drugs in NYC. Drug testing strips can help detect the presence of fentanyl or xylazine in drugs.

Free naloxone kits and fentanyl and xylazine test strips are available at Callen-Lorde and many other community-based organizations and pharmacies throughout New York State. For more information on kits, strips, or trainings, visit nyc.gov/naloxone or https://oasas.ny.gov/prevent-overdose