Virginia Hamner and her daughter Liz Bostock, at home in Gainesville, Fla. Ive spent so many years with so many thousands of people, helping them be themselves and happy and healthy, said Knoll. Gender-affirming care is essential, safe, and lifesaving. "The truth matters and so does protecting Florida's youth and their families.". 254, a measure that bans medically-necessary forms of gender-affirming care for minors and imposes severe restrictions for adults. This bill is bigotry masquerading as public policy, and it is shameful. I cover health care for WUSF and the statewide journalism collaborative Health News Florida. Providers that are able to take on new patients have seen a huge influx. The Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates is the nonpartisan advocacy and political organization representing Floridas two Planned Parenthood affiliates. Tampa General to buy 3 local hospitals from Tennessee company, Florida approves conservative PragerU lessons for schools, St. Petersburg mayor remarks on employee survey after anonymous emails. What to Expect on Your First Visit and Beyond Before you visit, please call to make an appointment and request gender affirming hormone therapy. - Families of transgender children on Tuesday sued to block a new Missouri law banning gender-affirming health care for minors from taking effect as scheduled on Aug. 28. Staff tried to give some patients refills before the bill was signed, according to Cahen. It can feel "overwhelming and soul-crushing," Chriss admits, when she considers the cascade of states that want to ban gender-affirming care. Its no surprise that many of the same politicians attacking access to abortion are pushing this anti-transgender legislation. Florida just banned transgender treatment for minors. Parents of transgender children filed a lawsuit challenging the restrictions, and U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle last month blocked a ban on the use of puberty blockers and hormones to treat children diagnosed with gender dysphoria, calling the prohibition an exercise in politics, not good medicine. The state is appealing Hinkles ruling. Some providers have. Almost simultaneously, the Florida State Board of Medicine voted on Aug. 5 to begin formulating a rule that would deny gender-affirming care to people under the age of 18 and require adults to consult with their doctors before receiving such care. "I campaigned on Medicaid expansion," she said in a statement to The New York Times . "It doesn't feel like it's over, which makes living in Florida really challenging right now," she says, "because you're basically being told that your child shouldn't be able to be who they are, and that it would be better if they didn't exist in the way that you, medical professionals, and the child who is thriving, feel is best for the child.". Trans residents say the community is coming together to support each other during this difficult time. And I just don't think that's a lot to ask.". who regret their care is almost non-existent. Man punches pro-life activist outside DC Planned Parenthood "Depression rates go down. Twelve states Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, North Dakota, and West Virginia have enacted bans this year to prevent minors from getting essential care. Substance abuse rates start to go down. ACLU sues to block new hybrid Nebraska law restricting abortion, gender The relentless focus on trans kids is demoralizing for her, as well. Before 17 May, Spektrum averaged starting 10 new patients on hormones each week, said Knoll. The new restrictions have erected unnecessary barriers to care and impose medically unsupported requirements on trans people, plaintiffs argued in a revised version of a lawsuit filed Friday. S.B. WUSF Public Media - WUSF 89.7 | "If it gets too bad, I'm also already thinking about for high school going to a boarding school that isn't in Florida," she says, "which would honestly make things a lot easier.". COLUMBIA, Mo. By, See stories by Dara Kam - News Service of Florida. Some providers have already stopped accepting new patients younger than 18. Being forced to go without testosterone has had, and will continue to have, devastating consequences for me physically, emotionally and psychologically. DeSantis has called the treatment "an example of woke ideology infecting medical practice." As for existing patients such as Liz, who may want to proceed on to cross-sex hormones (estrogen in her case; testosterone for transgender males), the language of the new rules is vague. hide caption. Its horrible, because everyone should have the same access, Cahen said. Nebraska Sued Over Law Restricting Abortion and Gender-Affirming Care "It's a gut punch," she says. Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy | Planned Parenthood Mar Monte A ban on gender-affirming healthcare for transgender children is due to take effect in Louisiana on Jan. 1, after the state legislature overrode Governor John Bel Edwards' veto of the bill . Melissa Block/NPR Theres a lot of fear, especially in the health care field, said Lana Dunn, a transgender woman and office manager of Spektrum Health, an Orlando clinic. hide caption. We are also proud to support local trans and LGBTQ+ organizations in our communities . We cannot speak something into existence that doesnt exist. A portion of the trans community has always relied on the underground market to find medication, she said. In July, the Parental Rights in Education law, dubbed the "Don't Say Gay" law, went into effect. Book Appointment Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy Prescriptions sent to your pharmacy Telehealth visits at home Secure chat in a safe space We make healthcare delightful. Another barrier is that the law requires patients to sign a consent form acknowledging theyre aware of the risks associated with gender-affirming prescriptions and procedures. The bill protects children from being subjected to sex-reassignment prescriptions and procedures, said the state senator Clay Yarborough in his press release. With support from other members of the trans community, Ingrid says she was able to find a doctor who could help. Although adults can still legally access care, the law immediately caused problems for thousands of patients and the health professionals who treat them, says Samantha Cahen, program director for trans and nonbinary care at Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida. "No matter what, I'm not going to let them take my joy," Lovell said. Zip, City, or State. In a separate lawsuit, Hinkle on June 22 blocked a state ban of Medicaid coverage for transgender children and adults, saying the effort was invidious discrimination. The state also is appealing that decision. "You are taking away rights from a whole group of people who are just trying to do what's best for their kid," says Nikole Parker with the advocacy group Equality Florida. It takes its toll: the LGBTQ+ families fleeing red states, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning, 2023 Guardian News & Media Limited or its affiliated companies. Spektrum as well as Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida, which similarly relied on nurse practitioners to provide gender-affirming care, extended the prescriptions of as many patients as they could. "It's a reminder of who I'm fighting for," Chriss says. Ron DeSantis signed this month states that only doctors can prescribe these treatments moving forward. The law, passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature this spring and championed by Gov. An Edward R. Murrow Award-winning series explores the high costs of the pandemic for children and young adults. Resources for Transgender Michiganders - plannedparenthoodmi The law also requires transgender people seeking gender-affirming care to undergo lifelong mental-health exams by state board-licensed psychiatrists or psychologists. I know that my mental health is so much better on HRT and testosterone, so the fear of, like, what is going to happen if Im not able to get my medication, what is that going to feel like for me, how am I going to be able to function, Lovell said. On Tuesday, four state and national civil rights groups, including Southern Legal Counsel, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders, the Human Rights Campaign and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, filed a motion asking the district judge Robert Hinkle to issue a preliminary injunction barring the state from enforcing the law. Once a state-approved form becomes available, patients will have to sign it in front of a doctor, which Cahen said could be difficult for people who get care through telehealth. WUSF looks at how distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine exposes inequities in Floridas health care system. The forms are horrible, said Montanez but will enable some people to begin or resume care. A 2019 study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law found that about 32,000 of the roughly 152,000 U.S. trans adults enrolled in Medicaid at the time lived in states that denied coverage for gender-affirming care. With or without insurance, patients can always find health care at PPSWCF including cancer screenings, breast health and mammogram referrals, well-person exams, birth control/IUDs, free condoms, pregnancy testing and ultrasounds, pregnancy options counseling, emergency contraception, miscarriage care, abortion care, HIV, UTI and STD testing and treatment, Gardasil (HPV vaccination), menopause care, gender-affirming care, and more. Planned Parenthood Action Fund is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit membership organization formed as the advocacy and political arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. All Childrens does not perform gender-affirming surgeries. With the encouragement of Florida Gov. That means new patients and some. Membership with Plume provides everything you need to start, continue, and maintain your gender-affirming hormone treatment. Florida Board of Medicine OKs transgender consent form after legal limbo Eating disorders rates start to go down. If enacted, this bill would codify those restrictions into state law . "There is a lot of uncertainty about that," says Hamner, who worries that the rules might be tightened still further. When SB 254 was first introduced in March, the fact that it would affect adults was scarcely mentioned. Its one of several new requirements posing challenges for transgender patients and forcing some health centers in the state to pause providing gender-affirming hormones and surgeries. This is my speciality. Melissa Block/NPR Help Simone with gender affirming care - GoFundMe 2618 W Tennessee Street Tallahassee , 32304 850-574-7455 Book Online About This Health Center Operated by: Planned Parenthood of South, East and North Florida Care No Matter What Planned Parenthood is one of the nation's leading providers of high-quality, affordable health care, and the nation's largest provider of sex education. What challenges lie ahead? For support, contact the National Transgender Lifeline at 1-877-565-8860 (additional resources below.) But lawmakers across the country are waging a relentless attack on transgender and gender nonconforming people. And there are states who will allow that to happen seamlessly. "You don't disfigure 10, 12, 13-year-old kids based on gender dysphoria," DeSantis said in a recent press conference. Support WUSF now by giving monthly, or make a one-time donation online. This bill is bigotry masquerading as public policy, and it is shameful. Families sue to block Missouri ban on gender-affirming care for kids dispute the general medical consensus on the condition. "It's fun and exciting for her to be able to be exactly who she wants to be," she says. The new rules haven't taken effect yet, but providers and advocates say they've already had a chilling impact. Andrea Montanez, a prominent trans activist in the Orlando area and the LGBTQ Immigration Organizer at the Hope Community Center, attended every meeting, sometimes by getting in the drivers seat of a passenger bus and picking other people up en route. You can trust us to provide honest, unbiased information in a safe, supportive environment. The shot of testosterone Noah Lovell takes each week has become a form of resistance for him since Florida officials started limited transgender rights. Plaintiffs on Monday also filed declarations from doctors who specialize in treating people diagnosed with gender dysphoria. It came as a surprise to many nurse practitioners and trans adults when they learned just how profoundly the bill would affect their lives. While Floridas pending ban on gender-affirming care for minors has yet to take effect, treatment has already become harder to find across the state. "It's pretty offensive to me, because I pride myself in being someone who always follows the evidence, does the right thing for my patients. (modern), The number one fear that I have is to step out there and no longer be able to live my true identity.. Ron DeSantis addresses attendees during the Turning Point USA Student Action Summit, July 22, 2022, in Tampa, Fla. state's Agency for Health Care Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2019 study by the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law. Health care organizations including Planned Parenthood are suspending gender-affirming medical care in Florida to comply with a new state law that bans transition-related care for. Florida will soon bar transgender residents from using Medicaid to pay for gender-affirming care, according to the state's Agency for Health Care Administration. The Action Fund engages in educational, advocacy, and limited electoral activity, including grassroots organizing, legislative advocacy, and voter education. 215-351-5500 www.ppsp.org www.pptranscare.org Gender Affirming Care Services We considered these resources to be helpful to the transgender and non-binary community when we compiled the list; Overnight, Knoll and every other advanced practice registered nurse in the state were prohibited from prescribing hormones for the purpose of gender transition, though they can still prescribe them for other reasons. Floridas Planned Parenthood affiliates will do everything we can to ensure access for people seeking health care and fight back against this cruel ban.. A Florida Department of Health spokesperson didnt respond to a request for comment. Sunday, August 6, 2023 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM ET. Planned parenthood where . TALLAHASSEE Today, the Florida Senate and House passed S.B. We are a nonpartisan advocacy and political organization. Banning gender-affirming care displays a fundamental lack of understanding of best medical practice, including age-appropriate services. The law (SB 254) also banned doctors from ordering gender-affirming care for children but allowed minors already receiving such treatment to continue, under certain conditions. It is the only state to do so not through legislative action, but through a vote of its . When members of the far-right group Moms for Liberty got up to the microphone, they sometimes called trans people groomers and devils. Planned Parenthood centers in Florida have more information about the status of hormone therapy availability on their websites. I felt like he could finally put his shoulders down, like, relax. Soup, a 21-year-old who asked to be identified by their nickname since they are not yet out to their family, spent months on a waiting list to see a physician at a clinic two and a half hours away. The ban will also make it exceedingly difficult for adults to get the medications they need in Florida, even those who may have been on hormone therapy for decades. At a time when Floridians are worried about how they can afford to put a roof over their heads and keep their children safe from gun violence, politicians like Ron DeSantis are choosing instead to fearmonger and discriminate. Citing a crisis of availability of care, transgender people are asking a federal judge to block a new state law making it more difficult for trans adults to access hormone-replacement therapy and surgery. You can reach the National Transgender Lifeline (staffed by trans individuals} at 1-877-565-8860. DeSantis, who is running for president, has made the issue one of his priorities. Medical decisions should be between a patient and their health care providers not politicians. Washington, DC - LGBTQ Victory Institute, California state Senator Scott Wiener, Equality California and Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California today announced a national, queer lawmaker-led rollout of trans refuge state legislation in 16 states.While these laws will look different in each state, the objectives are the same: shield trans kids and their families from penalties when . Florida is among a number of Republican-led states that have approved measures to curb or prohibit gender-affirming care for transgender children and adults. Almost simultaneously, the Florida State Board of Medicine voted on Aug. 5 to begin formulating a rule that would deny gender-affirming care to people under the age of 18 and require adults to consult with their doctors before receiving such care. The state's surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, who was appointed by DeSantis, called the treatments "highly experimental," "risky and unproven." Statement from Stephanie Fraim, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida: This ban on gender-affirming care is part of a deeply disturbing pattern of political attacks against transgender and gender nonconforming people in the state of Florida. Our goal is to offer care that puts you in the center. But it's hard to imagine uprooting their entire support system. Some other trans Floridians may be resorting to more desperate measures. Transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming people deserve access to a full range of quality health care and to be treated with dignity and respect. Terrisa Bukovinac and Mike Gribbin were outside the Carol Whitehill Moses clinic on July 21 . The law (SB 254) also banned doctors from ordering gender-affirming care for children but allowed minors already receiving such treatment to continue, under certain conditions. A year with 988: What worked? Other patients told her they have found doctors in the community to take over their care. Twelve states Arkansas, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, North Dakota, and West Virginia have enacted bans this year to prevent minors from getting essential care. Virginia Hamner and her daughter Liz Bostock, at home in Gainesville, Fla. One overall effect of the transgender medical restrictions has been to create a crisis of availability for transition-related care in Florida, with demand for that care vastly outstripping the supply of physicians authorized and willing to supply it. Liz's birth certificate now bears her new legal name and gender marker. With this ban, Florida lawmakers are continuing their race to the bottom for LGBTQ+ rights and gender equality. A congressional hearing on the dangers of "gender-affirming" care for children exposes how doctors have little understanding of its impact. The state Department of Health had urged the medical boards to enact the restrictions, arguing that the care was experimental and no evidence proved it was effective.
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