The Health Initiative was founded in 1996 under the name of the Atlanta Lesbian Cancer Initiative (ALCI). In a predominantly heterosexual and often homophobic system of care, when a lesbian was struck with breast cancer, neither she nor her partner had anywhere to turn for support until the ALCI opened its doors. Founder Denny Doucher and her group of caring friends established support groups for lesbian cancer survivors and for their caregivers and partners. Additionally, they took on the Atlanta medical establishment, educating and opening the hearts and minds of the medical community and identifying gay-friendly healthcare providers. Thanks to the work of those early pioneers, far fewer women today report difficulty in finding lesbian-friendly healthcare. As the needs of the community shifted, ALCI evolved and expanded to meet additional health concerns. The Atlanta Lesbian Cancer Initiative became the Atlanta Lesbian Health Initiative, or, simply, The Health Initiative.

The Health Initiative offers a wide array of programs addressing cancer and other chronic diseases, as well as health education, health promotion, and advocacy for cultural competence in the healthcare community in the greater metropolitan area and beyond. Our most recent accomplishment is our new online health assessment. Women who take the health assessment receive a personal report identifying areas they can focus on to develop and maintain a healthier lifestyle, as well as resources to help them do so.

While adding new services, The Health Initiative also continues to evolve by expanding resources available to women in Georgia. In September, 2008, The Health Initiative announced the development of an online health assessment called Lifestyle Links. Lifestyle Links makes it possible for lesbians to identify ways they can live a healthier lifestyle, and provides links to local resources that will help them do so. To help provide those resources, The Health Initiative formed an alliance with its old friend, Fourth Tuesday, the well-known social networking group for lesbians and bisexual and transgender women. The 25 year-old group has a long history of building strong local networks. Fourth Tuesday has local chapters throughout the greater Atlanta metropolitan area and continues to expand outward. The Health Initiative, together with Fourth Tuesday, will provide an even deeper and broader array of resources and services for the women of Georgia.