The National Coalition of STD Directors (NCSD) and the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) convened a Blue Ribbon Panel of experts from
academia, city and state health departments, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Network of STD/HIV Prevention Training Centers (NNPTC) to develop optimal standards of client-focused clinical care for
gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM). These standards illustrate the highest quality of sexual health care for MSM, expanding beyond federal guidelines to incorporate the collective experience of experts in the field of
sexual health.

Implementation of quality sexual health care must be set in the context of social determinants of health. Clinical environments and systems should be thoughtfully designed to be inclusive of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) patients and patients of all races and ethnicities. Clinic staff, from receptionists to clinicians, should be trained and assessed for LGBT inclusivity in their interactions with patients.

Screening should occur at least annually, and every three to six months for sexually active MSM with multiple partners. The recommendations of the Blue Ribbon Panel suggest that providers offer the following to all of their gay, bisexual, and other MSM patients. Please note that this document is focused on cisgender men who have sex with cisgender men. Some of the material may also apply to transgender women, depending on their sexual practices they engage in. Whitman-Walker Health has an excellent document to guide sexual health conversations with transgender patients.