Rush University Medical Center opens LGBTQ health resource center

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Rush University Medical Center opened a new health resource center for the LGBTQ community Tuesday.

The Affirm: The Rush Center for Gender, Sexuality and Reproductive Health aims to close the gap on health care disparities and provide quality care for all.

It's an initiative combining clinical care as well as education and research dedicated to those that identify as LGBTQ+.

The focus will be on specialty care, surgical and behavioral health. It's a very big step for members of the community:

"You are seen, you are valued, we are not going to pretend we have everything perfect, but we are trying to make what steps forward we can and we welcome you with arms open to receive care, to give us feedback and to help us grow," said Rush employee Violeta Segovia.

"That's why it's so encouraging and so crucial to have places like Affirm and to have the support of the medical community in Chicago to fight inequities," said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. "We all need to work together to end these disparities and provide the most inclusive, welcoming health care that we possibly can to all of our residents in Cook County."

Rush officials said this is the first health system of its kind in the state.