Gender-Affirming Care

We Support Gender-Affirming Medical Care

Research and clinical practice support that misalignment between an individual’s body and gender can contribute to stigma and physical, emotional, or psychological distress or harm. Consistent with the viewpoint of the APA (American Psychological Association), we believe that transgender, gender-nonconforming, and intersex people should have access to medical interventions to help them live happily and wholly in their bodies and lives. Research and clinical practice support that this results in improvements in physical, emotional, and psychological health.

Toward this value, we offer assessments and letters to help people obtain gender-affirming medical care. We recognize that the journey of seeking gender-affirming medical care is difficult, and that there are often many barriers and frustrations in the process. We welcome you into this space and hope to support you in the process.

Mental Health assessments and letters are currently recommended by WPATH (World Professional Association for Transgender Health) or required by surgeons or insurance companies to obtain certain types of gender-affirming medical care. These assessments and letters may address:

  • If gender dysphoria is present or if criteria is met for a diagnosis related to gender dysphoria. In light of that, we believe it is important to emphasize that no assessment can identify or confirm if someone’s gender identity is “correct”; You are the expert on your own identity.

  • The individual’s understanding of the relevant medical procedures so that they can fully consent. Toward this end we will discuss your understanding of the requested procedure and your expectations for the outcome and the future.

  • If any other mental health issues are present that need to be addressed related to the process. We believe it is important to emphasize that the presence of mental health concerns should not be an automatic disqualification for gender-affirming medical care, similar to other medical procedures. Many mental health concerns may stem from gender dysphoria and would be expected to improve following gender-affirming medical care. Others may be present but are not relevant or have an impact that should postpone or delay gender-affirming medical care.

  • The types of support or resources available to you throughout the process.

Our Process

Free Consultations

 

The Assessment

 

  • Potential clients can do a Free Consultation to learn more about the process and see if it is a good fit. This is not required but is encouraged. These appointments can be via telehealth or phone and last approximately 15-30 minutes. 

 

  • Assessments can be done virtually for individuals in any PSYPACT states or at our office in Chicago, Illinois. For virtual assessments, we use a secure, HIPAA-compliant video-conferencing platform. Have Questions or Concerns About Telepsychology Services? Click Here to Learn More

  • When an assessment is scheduled, the client will receive an opening packet with consent forms and a link to an intake questionnaire to provide general information as well as information about the GAC services they are seeking. These consents and intake information need to be completed at least one business day prior to the appointment because they need to be reviewed by the assessment team.  

  • Assessments generally take place in one appointment. Appointments are expected to last 60-120 minutes. These can be done in office or via telehealth. These interviews will help the assessor learn more about the client’s history and journey related to gender identity and their history and functioning related to medical, mental health, and supports. 

  • Clients seeking letters for gender-affirming care do NOT have to establish an ongoing therapy relationship with the assessor in order to obtain a letter.

 

Documentation

 

Fees

Letters are generated at the end of the appointment to facilitate timely access to services. Clients will be provided with a protected pdf and can be provided with hard copies upon request. 

The assessment team can not guarantee in advance that they will be able to write a letter recommending full support for services. However, we are deeply committed to reducing barriers and gatekeeping to healthcare for transgender and gender-diverse persons. If we recommend addressing certain concerns prior to any surgery or intervention, we would be happy to schedule a follow up appointment to re-assess and write a letter at a later time. As we know this can be distressing and draining for one’s finances, mental state, and energy, we will consider waiving or reducing fees or adjusting steps in our process to support the client. 

SImilarly, we acknowledge that the timeframes for letters and GAC services can often become a source of stress, resulting in the need for re-assessment prior to a surgery or intervention. In such cases, we are happy to provide follow-up assessments that may involve reduced or waived fees or processes as a way of supporting the client.   

 

Insurance can be used for these services. We accept BCBS PPO, BCBS Blue Choice PPO, and United/UMR/Oscar. We would be happy to check your insurance benefits to let you know what to expect in terms of any potential fees. When using insurance, we will submit claims with a diagnosis of gender dysphoria disorder because that is what we are assessing for in these situations.

The self-pay rate is $200 but we offer a limited number of reduced fee or pro bono assessments each year.