Wallach describes H&H gender-affirming care and behavioral health integration

Regardless of the type of care a patient comes to health and hospitals for, we treat each patient as a whole person,

working with them to support their physical, mental, and social well-being within the context of best clinical practices and regulatory authority.

We know gender-affirming care does not have a one-size-fits-all approach, and health and hospital providers, with informed consent,

work closely with patients and their families and or legal guardians to equip them with the tools they need to provide the necessary mental and emotional support throughout their gender-affirming health care journey.

As clinically necessary, health and hospitals medical teams will make referrals to behavioral health teams to

ensure minors are getting the care that safeguards their mental well-being, as well as ensuring that our patients'physical needs are equally met.

All of our behavioral health providers have the training and skills to address the needs and provide care to all of our patients, and this includes providing gender-affirming care.

To do so, we use the patient's correct pronoun, create a safe space for non-cisgender person to explore their gender expression, and document

in our medical records in a gender-affirming manner.

We work with families to support and work through gender-related issues when they come up in treatment.

Additionally, Health and Hospitals offers the LGBTQ plus mental health training, which is an annual voluntary course facilitated by the Institute of Human Identity.

The curriculum informs mental health providers on key social determinants that impact the LGBTQ plus population and best practices in delivering affirming psychotherapy to this community.