Show what participation means.
Directory tiers and access details help people understand listings without presenting the platform as certification.
About LGBTQIA+ Health NJ
A clinician-led bridge between people, care, and practice.
An independent statewide initiative working to make affirming healthcare, mental health support, community resources, and professional education easier to find and use across New Jersey.
Read our story
“Affirming in theory” is not the same as affirming in practice.
Why this exists
Access needs more than a list of names.
LGBTQIA+ Health NJ was created to expand access to affirming healthcare, mental health care, wellness, and community resources throughout New Jersey.
Founder Giana Simonelli, MA, LAC, APC, built the initiative from both clinical experience and a personal understanding of how difficult it can be to identify care that is truly identity-responsive—including during fertility and family-building experiences.
The work connects a transparent provider directory, resource navigation, continuing education, referral-network support, advocacy, and community partnership so affirmation becomes something people can actually access.
Giana Simonelli, MA, LAC, APCFounder, LGBTQIA+ Health NJ
How we approach the work
Clear information. Practical access. Community accountability.
Every part of the initiative is designed to help people make more informed choices without turning participation, visibility, or sponsorship into an endorsement.
Design around real barriers.
Cost, insurance, Medicaid, telehealth, geography, privacy, and identity all shape whether care is actually reachable.
Strengthen the whole ecosystem.
Community members, families, providers, schools, and organizations each have a role in creating safer pathways.