Who We Are

There are very few organizations in the country that have served LGBTQ+ communities continuously since 1972. Persad Center is proud to be one of them.

What began as an underground counseling resource, run by volunteers and fueled entirely by community need, has grown into a comprehensive behavioral health organization serving more than 1,300 people each year across Pennsylvania.

That kind of longevity doesn’t happen by chance. It exists because a community believed that affirming care was essential—not optional—and because the people who built Persad remained committed to that belief through every decade of change that followed.

We have weathered the crises that defined the 1980s, navigated funding challenges and economic uncertainty, and have continued to grow in response to the evolving needs of our community. Along the way, we’ve opened new locations, launched innovative programs, and expanded access to care because the need has never disappeared.

Today, Persad provides individual therapy, psychiatric services, substance use treatment, HIV support services, programs for older adults, wellness and fitness opportunities, food access, community education, and professional training. While our services have evolved over more than five decades, our mission has remained constant: to ensure that LGBTQ+ and people living with HIV have access to compassionate, affirming, high-quality care without barriers or judgment.