The Center Long Beach

I was having trouble with an applicant that I needed to fill out online and download some items. Seriously, I tried it at least 30 times and different ways. I emailed a few sites and called trying to get help, leaving messages. The Center was the only one that reached out to me and offered to help me resolve the problem I was having. Violet, from the Center, had me meet up with her and gave me all the resources and help to resolve the problem and complete the task. Thanks Violet, you were great!

Everyone was very nice but at the end of the day if you can't afford it you're left alone unable to get the help you need. Is it their fault? No, they do what they can with the resources they have. But it seems like an organization whose mission is to serve the community should at least be able to provide you with resources for getting help somewhere else, especially when the barriers are financial. Sometimes it takes a lot for someone to reach out for the help they need only to find out that the one door that should be open to you, the community you are a part of, is also closed and you're on your own, just like you felt you were.

Do NOT book services here, they will NOT call you back. All these services they offer, they talk them up, make you feel safe and confident that yes, you finally have someone that'll help you on your journey who's in the neighborhood, and understands what you're going through. But no. They bail on you, ignore your calls, add you to the list of numbers they have for helping people that keeps growing. It leaves you feeling helpless, again. Not even your community has your back. Y'all need to do better. Long Beach is home to one of the biggest LGBT+ communities in SoCal. We should be there for each other and not have to struggle just to get a simple phone call back. This is truly a disappointing center who isn't there for their community enough. I couldn't imagine this center would be able to handle/help anyone in a crisis. Not without making them wait weeks for a call back first.

I'm not sure why there are so many bad reviews here. This center offers free std testing like 5 days a week until 9 pm. You can walk in and get condoms. It is a great resource. Sometimes they even have essential health care products for free, they really try here

The absolute worst!!! I was recommend to come here because i needed some serious mental health counseling. This place has a TERRIBLE system regarding being reach out too. You can’t ever call DIRECTLY to speak with anyone & you have to leave a voicemail where they call you back with BLOCK NUMBERS & if they miss you by any means you can’t call them back or reach out & you have to wait WEEKS for another call from them. It’s almost as if they don’t want to actually help you. Some people have JOBS where you can’t run to answer the phone & the slow reach times. It took them almost 3 weeks AFTER my voice mail to receive a block call. Overall this place SUCKS!! If you actually need help find somewhere you can REACH THEM not the other way around. Stop advertising that you actually want to help ppl when they can’t reach you.

They don't care about your time or your feelings. Michael emails you weekly changes to a group. I finally get the nerve. He confirmed 7pm . I show less than 10 minutes early. . No one is there. The front desk tells me the group starts at 730. Stop wasting people's time.

This center is a disappointment to the LGBT community of Long Beach. Its legal center, specifically, is no help to anyone. I called them to for support regarding getting out of an unsafe situation. They did my intake and 6 months later, no call or response. If you need any real help with services please look elsewhere.

The LGBQT Center by far, is absolutely stellar!!! Their staff, & volunteers are the MOST friendly, MOST courteous, MOST helpful, MOST pleasant, & the very BEST place one could ever go for ANY questions, concerns, guidance, legal matters, support groups, (any sort of support, for that matter) in Southern California!!! Many times I've partaken of their services. Most of the time, their vast array of services had whatever I may have needed, & if they don't have a particular service and / or program that I was seeking, their courteous, kind, & very helpful staff were able to provide me with where to go to get whatever it was that I was looking for. I can't say enough good things about The Center.

I have been coming here for years to get all of my testing done. The staff is always very kind and helpful ESPECIALLY Eiza and Arturo. As somebody who is scared of blood and needles they are always super gentle and patient. Eiza always has a great smile and welcoming attitude. I couldn't ask for better health providers.

Great place to feel safe while getting tested without judgement fast easy and free and quick and easy

I was happy to meet the nice hot people there and got to take a test for a job easily. ! Was not a safe space as far as harassment for being trans (people used offensive verbal harassment against me under a false 'just testing out' vibe more than once)

Wonderful place! The volunteers are always so kind and helpful. They provide free STI tests, condoms, and dental dams. Their library is endless with excellent LGBTQ literature.

They offer free sti/hiv screening, a library, supplies, different groups and assistance/resources for those in need. Excellent source for community care and support. They are very kind and welcoming and inclusive. Enjoyed my time there. I felt safer & more comfortable there than my doctor's office & def would recommend to everyone! Feel so lucky to have the center in our community!

Great center. Very helpful. Women working there want good things for people. I had a good experience there. My best to the Japanese American male I met here.

I was searching for a STI Testing in my local area. Every place I tried calling, even planned parenthood, did not take my insurance and told me it would cost over $200. I was able to make a same day appointment at the center and get testing done for $0. The results took 1 week to come in and the whole process was incredibly easy. I was seen by Reina and I could not say enough about how great they were to me. I appreciated their professionalism and open/calm demeanor. They made me feel comfortable and made the entire experience stress free.

Next to the independent Art Theater on 4th Street between Cherry and Junipero but closer to Cherry, is the LGBTQ Center of Long Beach. I have had a couple bad experiences but mostly have had positive ones. One of those bad experiences came recently when I wasn't aware that I needed to ware a mask to enter the center. I was scolded a little for not having one and the ones the center provides require an engineering degree to figure out how to put on. Also, I wanted to meet with a career counselor and picked up a flyer with their info. As soon as I called to make an appointment, I was told the service wasn't being offered at the moment as there isn't anyone currently providing that service. Take down that pile of flyers promoting this service if you don't have someone to actually provide it! My positive experiences have mostly come from the amazing medical staff serving our community, especially Arturo. Super organized, it's by appointment only but this center does such a good providing health services to the LGBTQ community. I will continue going to this center ever few months for regular testing.

My experience was horrible. This place is unorganized. They give wrong info. Start times listed are wrong. When you go to a scheduled group there's no one there. Michael is bad at communicating. Keep your emails full of wrong or outdated information.

I went to their coming out support group and "support" turned out to be a misnomer. The facilitators spent so much time focusing on one individual who would monopolize the meeting and it severely cut down on the amount of time for others to talk. We were not there to observe an amateur therapy session for one person; we were there for help with our own coming out journeys. This creep would respond with insults and personal attacks if someone disagreed with him. The facilitators did not set appropriate boundaries with this person and let him act in a very inappropriate, immature manner. One of the facilitators with admonish others by saying "let's not put that out in the universe" simply because someone said something she didn't like. Yet she was fine not setting any boundaries with above mentioned jerk. The jerk should've been asked to leave due his poor behavior choices but never was. Since the center allowed this to happen for quite some time, they definitely will not get support from me. There are plenty of LGBTQ+ organizations I would happily donate to, but this dump is not one of them.

I sought help from this organization several times and they have failed me every time. Starting from the people who answer the phones to their therapists ( a psychologist as well) have been unfriendly and/or uninformed.

Unresponsive is the word here. Three months ago I asked for a referral for an LGBTQ counselor/ therapist. It took over a week for them to reply to my first email; that response said I needed to call. It took almost two weeks for them to return my call. They said I needed to go through their phone screening process (even though I wasn't planning to use their in-house counselors) and again it was a week before they called me to do that. I was then told someone would get back to me with some suggested contacts "in a week or two". That was two months ago and no one has responded to any calls or emails since. On one of my early calls I asked why they didn't have a standard list of providers for such inquiries like LGBTQ centers in other cities I've lived. I was told that the ones they work with don't want the general public to know they're LGBTQ. What is this - 1979? The Center may be OK if you need the computer lab or HIV test as other reviewers have written glowing reviews about those services. But don't waste your time otherwise.

After banging my head against the wall trying to get psychological assistance for my trans-child, I gave up on this organization. Luckily, Shanti, an organization in Orange County was able to help us. My child was set up and in therapy within 2 weeks of me first contacting Shanti. Whereas, with LGBTQ Center of LB, I spent months going round and round in the brutal bureaucracy with nothing but additional psychological distress to my child. That's not right. That's not serving the community. And what's worse, even after I posted my original review, nothing. No one from the organization had reached out to figure out what went wrong or how they can improve the organization. Shame on them for such mismanagement of an otherwise essential Long Beach organization.

Friendly staff. Free service. Glad to always support my LGBTQ community and non profit organizations.

Probably one of the best services I've ever gotten.. I've only been tested twice but Otis made me feel so comfortable and at home. Such a gentle great guy that I wish I had the pleasure of knowing better. I recommend him for anyone. Thank you so much once again, Otis! And feel free to hit me up regardless of results.

I walked in for a full HIV/STI testing. Walk-ins are available on certain days at certain times and are first come first serve. I called ahead of time to see if I could get in. I'd recommend calling first so you don't travel all the time way to The Center and find out you can't be seen. Appointments are also available. The person who did my testing and their assistant were very kind, warm, and welcoming. The tests can be uncomfortable and a little invasive, but they were up front about that and explained that they wanted to make me as comfortable as possible - and they truly did. They were cracking jokes, keeping my mind occupied and focused on conversation the whole time. I can honestly say this was the most enjoyable testing experience I've had anywhere thus far. The Center is also a great place to browse for books or find a support group or activities specifically for LGBTQ+ people. I highly recommend checking it out.

The center is amazing. Computer services free internet for education and also an lgbt friendly library. Plenty of self parking in the back. Volunteers are always friendly and helpful. HIV AND STD testing are available and psychiatric services are available as well for those who qualify and group sessions for all lgbt groups. Great place to come and visit for resources for the community as a whole.

Dearest Porter, I'm very sorry that I have not made time to make an appointment with you to come for a tour but, I was by today ( annonymously ) and spent a good 30 minutes perusing everything The Center has to offer and I eat crow as I applaud the efforts of you and all who have turned this place around. There is something for any and everyone who needs to utilize this icon of Long Beach that has been sanctified and, I could not have been treated nicer or appreciated the welcoming ambiance more! Sincerely, Michael P. Now as I tell everyone, it is so important to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyAuATJXc14

I called for an "intake" for couples counseling; my partner called for an "intake" shortly afterward. It has been 2 months. I have called and left messages 5 or 6 times and even tried to contact them via Facebook. I have an appointment with a divorce attorney tomorrow. If you have another option for mental health, I would strongly suggest you find another option.

I came here to volunteer at their Free Legal Name Change and Gender Marker Clinic. Great folks here. They even have a private lot in back.

When I came in to get tested, Otis was INCREDIBLY kind, respectful, humorous, knowledgeable and charismatic. Otis is the type of human that makes life enjoyable. Thanks to the center for being such an asset to the community!

Yesterday was my first visit: I took a closeted teen to visit the Center, maybe get info, make friends, sit in on the afternoon's youth group, etc. He was scared, hesitant to go into the building, and didn't know what to say upon reaching the front desk. He'd originally told me he absolutely wouldn't check out the group, but the Center's staff were fantastic and turned that attitude around. A nice fellow at the desk took us upstairs to meet Kyle, the Youth Program Manager, who was sweet and very welcoming. He encouraged us to poke our heads into the youth lounge - a room with couches, snacks, a TV, DVDs, video games, board games, books, internet and a handful of teens hanging out and chatting - but didn't pressure my kid to go in. Kyle offered that perhaps Shannon, a youth mentor, might help make my kid feel more comfortable. And she did. She was fantastic and I hope she sees this, because her attention made all the difference. She did an amazing job of drawing my kid out, coaxing him into the lounge, and then persuading him to stay for the meeting (and pizza). Long story short, I was there for three and a half hours because my kid refused to leave. The other teens were SO empathic and friendly, shared coming-out stories and advice and gave my kid phone numbers and email addresses if he wanted to stay in touch. They obviously felt at home in the youth center, and Kyle and Shannon knew a lot of them by name. Besides the youth meetings, there's also dances, lessons of various sorts, a book club, and, of course, all sorts of support. I have no doubt the visit empowered my kid and he walked out practically wiggling with excitement. Actually, he was sort of bouncing, not wiggling. Then yelling excitedly in the car. An incredible resource, SEND YOUR KIDS!!!!!!!!!!

I utilized the free legal services for the second time and each time was outstanding, phenomenal, grade A representation and service. Reba and Stephanie go above and beyond to assure a positive outcome. I have never experienced better service from an attorney anywhere. They are personable down to earth all while maintaining their professionalism. Bravo to Long Beach legal. Thanks for your help. Highly recommend.

The Center is community focused and depends on community support in order to perform its most basic of services. While yes I agree that right now the Center is struggling, that just makes me want to get even MORE involved. The Bingo is AMAZING!!! So much fun with drag superstar Tammie Brown, she is hilarious and we had a great time at the last bingo, hope to go back again. I think they're doing Bingo every Sunday http://www.centerlb.org/programs/events.html#bingo They have some new free HIV testing programs and several groups that meet all the time, although I have yet to personally attend any groups since they dont really speak to me. I hope to see some positive changes here soon, our community deserves an awesome LGBT center

This is wonderful for both children and adults. The LGBT center is amazing. They have a lot of volunteer opportunities all you gotta do is call or go online and look up when they have their workshop and attend so you can become a part of something bigger than yourself. They do pride every year as well as aids work. They are very involved with the community and I can't wait to volunteer!

I love this place. This place is brought together by a great community and very friendly staff. If you have a question concerning worries such as HIV, coming out, etc. This place has all the LGBT resources you need!

This place is so cool! They offer daily rapid HIV testing that only takes about 20 minutes and they do STI testing Tues-Thurs. They use a small blood sample from a finger prick for the HIV test. They also have a little library and computer area. The computers are free to use for an hour ($1/hr after, up to 3 hours) and you don't even have to sign up or anything to use them. I believe they also have counseling and other services. All the staff is friendly and supportive!

IF YOU ARE NOT YOUNG THIS ORGANIZATION IS WORTHLESS. I am very, very disappointed with this organization who claims to support thE LGBTQ community. I have rented a house to two elderly women for the past fifteen years (never have raised their rent and I am not charging them rent for the next few months). I was originally told they were sisters but I recent asked if they were actually partners in relationship. They said "yes" but had kept it hidden due to the stigma society had imposed, because of their occupations in the past. I have always believed in equal and fair treatment for everyone and have always practiced my beliefs. One of the women found out she has ovarian cancer and it is Stage 4. She has had a stroke during treatment and is now paralyzed on one side. The other woman is very disabled. The woman who has cancer and had a stroke makes $2500 a month from a pension and does not qualify for medical care. She was sent to a Room and Board facility which charges her the entire amount of her pension to stay there. Hospice is suppose to come in once a week but rarely does. She has bed sores after just a few month's stay. Her partner only gets $900 a month to live on. This will not cover food, utilities, or even rent. I called to the LBGTQ Center to ask for assistance for her. She will qualify for MEDICAL-CAL. In the interim she needs food, help with utilities, help with personal care and so on. I am helping by not charging rent for a few months until this gets worked out. I cannot afford this but feel a need to help. I am looking for Resource Referrals or any kind of aid the Center could provide. The LBGTQ Center has not called me back, despite my many attempts. I had told her to let me try the Center to help her. I was sure with such a strong community help would be assured. But despite the numerous calls by me - NO OFFER TO HELP - NO REFERRAL FOR ASSISTANCE - NO CALLS BACK EVEN!! What has happened to this COMMUNITY of people I thought was so tight and would help each other. I used to always think that I wished I was part of the Community. What a major, major disappointment! Extremely Sad.

Came in here today for a free rapid HIV test. The staff were very discreet and helpful and informative.

Thanks for letting us use this space to provide orientation to families interested in adoption or foster care!

I volunteer here and I love this place. There is a fantastic library, wonderful youth program, HIV and STI testing that is free. They also have computer use, wonderful counselors and many programs for everyone to attend. Stop by and check it out ,we are on 4th Street.

Incredible center for the LGBT community in Long Beach! I used to come here often for support groups and to do research on their computers. Nice staff who are interested in your well-being and have a very empathetic view towards the community in general. They also do free HIV testing here. Not too shabby!

This is my 4th week here. The Center has lots of resources available. The staff is friendly. I have no idea what's upstairs :) The center has lots of support groups to serve the community. Also, In the front lobby The Center has a library.

Great people. We rented the upstairs space for the Saint Harridan Pop-up Shop in Long Beach and enjoyed our event at the Center. Staff was helpful, leadership was creative and collaborative, and the neighborhood was buzzing on Saturday night!

Excellent place for young LGBTQ+ youth and adults alike! These are good people and an asset to the community!

ILove it, clean, quiet, polite people all around, I can't wait to get together with the guy's I met

This is a great place, but specifically this review is for Jesse. He's kind, compassionate and very knowledgeable. He's excellent at his job, and has the perfect personality needed for his role. With his kind face and positive spirit, he's an absolute gem here.

this place is better than great..they have respect for you and are so nice...the person that "helped me " was soooooooooo nice and caring understanding i could not ask / pay for more. for such great services...we need more places like this ..i could go on and on about this place...some straight guy that has more respect now and understanding..wow ..thank you ..the center..