Wallach highlights community partnerships, training, and H&H designations
Wallach describes the Elmhurst Suicide Prevention and Youth Program, Trans Health Fest, and training referencing WPATH Standards of Care 8. He says all eligible H&H facilities have earned LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader designations and long-term care facilities earned equality leader recognition. He closes promising care without exceptions.
Additionally, we partner with our communities to offer localized support whenever possible.
For example,
The Elmhurst Suicide Prevention and Youth Program offers free workshops and services to schools, community-based organizations, and agencies across Queens with the goal of reducing the rates of suicide for youth.
While this program primarily meets with youth ages 12 to 24, with an emphasis on Black, Indigenous, and people of color,
as well as the LGBTQ plus youth in Queens, additional workshops are available to family and staff from other local organizations.
Also, Health and Hospitals is a co-sponsor of Trans Health Fest, which connects transgender, gender diverse, and non-binary New Yorkers to health care,
legal and social support resources here in New York City.
Providers at health and hospitals receive extensive training to ensure they are delivering culturally responsive care,
to meet the referenced physical, mental, and social needs of minors seeking gender-affirming care.
These trainings include references to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health Standards of Care Version 8 guidance, which was developed by global professionals across medical and sociological fields
to provide clinical guidance to healthcare professionals supporting transgender and gender diverse individuals throughout their healthcare journey.
This guidance uplifts Health and Hospitals'mission to promote and protect health in its fullest sense and bring the highest level of comprehensive care into our exam rooms.
Health and Hospitals is proud to have received designations from leading national benchmarking organizations for inclusive policies, best practices, and equitable treatment and inclusion.
All 18 health and hospitals eligible facilities earned the LGBTQ plus healthcare equality leader designation in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Healthcare Equity Index.
This is a recognition that these facilities have received every year since 2015.
Additionally, all five of Health and Hospital's long-term care facilities earned the LGBTQ plus long-term care equality leader designation in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation and SAGE's
long-term care equality index in 2025.
Above all, Health and Hospitals recognizes the importance of both being an innovator and an advocate to ensure that every person, youth or otherwise, who walks through our doors is treated with compassion,
dignity, and respect when seeking gender-affirming care.
With our purpose to care for all New Yorkers, Health and Hospitals will continue to meet each patient where they are to achieve these goals.
No exceptions.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify today on this most important topic.