07 Jul Healthcare Resources and HRT for the Transgender Community in Utah and Vermont
Hi Everyone,
You know that we want you to be healthy and safe. To help you with your health care journey we are creating a list, by state, of health care organizations that serve the transgender, nonbinary, gender queer and non-conforming community. While we are creating this site for you, we are also doing this weekly post on health care. While it’s nice to have a list, in these posts we can also give you a few details on what each of the organizations we post actually do. We’ll just go through the states alphabetically, unless you send us a note and request a particular state and we’ll move requests to the top of the list.
This week we are covering Utah and Vermont. Many resources across the country are, to their credit, creating comfortable places for gender-affirming medicine as well as routine proactive health maintenance and interventionary health care. We will try to highlight what is offered in each case.
If you still can’t find the health care you need, drop us a note on FB (B.UR.SLF LLC), instagram/ twitter @burslfllc or email burslfllc@gmail.com and we will see what we can do to help.
This week we are covering resources in Utah and Vermont
Utah
Transgender Health Program, University of Utah Health, Salt Lake City (Website – Transgender Health Services for Adults and Adolescent Gender Management and Support (GEMS) Services, FB – UofUTransHealth, IG – @uofutranshealth)
Transgender Services for Adults includes gender-affirming HRT and surgery, primary care, voice therapy, gynecologic and urologic care, fertility and other services.
Adolecscent Gender Management and Support (GEMS) Services is a clinic with a coordinated program of adolescent transgender medicine including puberty blockers and gender-affirming HRT as well as nutrition, wellness, and other services.
Payment Options: University of Utah Health accepts many insurance providers and there is help with payment plans and finding financial assistance if needed.
Both the programs for adults and adolescents are located in Salt Lake City. Many services are also available through virtual care, check with the provider for details.
While Transgender Services is for Adults and GEMS is for youth and adolescents, age cut offs are not obvious, check with University of Utah Health.
Rebirth OB-Gyn (Website – Gender Center, FB – Rebirth Health Center @rebirthobgyn, IG – @rebirthobgyn)
At the Gender Center, Dr. Rixt Luikenaar is a Transgender Health Specialist who offers gender-affirming HRT and primary care with a focus on preventative care, and she is also trained as an OB-Gyn and will provide sexual health care. The practice also offers pre & post surgery care for those seeking gender-confirmation surgery. There is also voice training, pain-free electrolysis (at the Gender Center) and many other services are available.
Payment Options: are not obvious, call the center for details.
Rebirth OB-Gyn has two locations in Salt Lake City and telehealth is available.
Ages limitations are not obvious, but services appear to be oriented to adults, contact the provider for more information.
Planned Parenthood of Utah is part of (1) Planned Parenthood organization, Planned Parenthood Assosication of Utah (PPAU) and has (8) associated Health Centers (Websites – PPAU, FB – Planned Parenthood UT, IG – #plannedparenthoodassociationofutah)
Planned Parenthood Assosication Utah (PPAU) has (8) Healthcare Centers. While these healthcare centers provide many important services to all clients, there are no services listed specifically for the LGBTQ community and no HRT. Some of the services that are provided include, primary care, women’s and men’s healthcare and sexual health including testing for HIV/STD; for a complete list of services click the link. The health centers are in Logan, Ogden, Orem, St. George, (2) in Salt Lake City, South Jordan and West Valley, click the locations link for more information
Payment Options: Many PP Health Centers accept insurance and offer financial help, check on the websites and with the center for details.
Call the Planned Parenthood health centers to learn age limitations on services.
VA Health Care for LGBTQ Veterans in Utah has (1) organization, VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, (Websites – VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, FB – U.S. Dept. of Veteran Affairs, IG – @deptvetaffairs)
According to the U.S. Dept. of Veteran Affairs, Patient Care Services for LGBT veterans includes the following (and other) services – gender confirming HRT, treatment and prevention of STIs/PrEP, cancer screening, prevention and treatment. If there are questions reach out to the LGBT Veteran Care Coordinator (VCC) at the site.
Payment Options: VA healthcare is offered free of charge to veterans. Veterans may have some copays.
VA Salt Lake City Health Care System has (1) medical center, George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, in Salt Lake City and (9) associated clinics (1) in Nevada in Elko, (2) in Idaho in Idaho Falls and Pocatello and (7) in Utah in South Ogden, Orem, Price, Roosevelt, South Jorden and St. George
LGBT Veteran Care is for U.S. veterans.
Vermont
In Vermont, law requires that health insurance pay for medically necessary gender-affirming medicine.
Community Health Centers of Burlingto CHCB (Website -Transgender Health Clinic and Be You Clinic for LGBTQ+ Health Care, FB – Community Health Centers of Burlington, IG – #communityhealthcentersofburlington)
Dr. Rachel Inker at Transgender Health Clinic offers the following services gender-affirming HRT, primary care, referrals and prep for gender confirmation surgery and routine gyn care and STI screening and many other services including behavior health care and denistry.
Payment Options: CHCB Clinics offer financial assistance to those who qualify and they also accept medicaid and medicare.
Riverside Health Center and Pearl Youth Health Center both accept and help Trans* patients and both are located in Burlington.
Check with the clinics for age limitations on services.
The University of Vermont Children’s Hospital (Website – Transgender Youth Program FB – The University of Vermont Medical Center, IG – @universityofvermontmedicalcenter)
The Transgender Youth Program at The University of Vermont Children’s Hospital offers gender-affirming HRT, puberty suppression and fertility preservation.
Payment Options: The University of Vermont Medical Center payment options include accepting a broad range of medical insurance and financial assistance options.
The Transgender Youth Program is in Burlington and telehealth is available.
The Transgender Youth Programs serves children of all ages.
Vermont Gynecology (Website – Transgender Care FB – Vermont Gynecology, IG – @VermontGynecology)
Transgender Care at Vermont Gynecology includes gender-affirming HRT for transmen and transwomen, minimally invasive surgery for hysterectomies and/or removal of ovaries and fallopian tubes, including Total Laparoscopic Hysterectomies (TLH) with or without Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomies (BSO), sexual health screening and prevention for transmen and post-operative care.
Payment Options: Vermont Gynecology accepts medical insurance, but no obvious options for financial assistance.
Vermont Gynecology is located in South Burlington.
Ages limitations are not obvious, but services appear to be oriented to adults, contact the provider for more information.
Planned Parenthood of Vermont is part of (1) Planned Parenthood organization Planned Parenthood of Northern New Eangland (PPNNE) and has (12) Health Centers (Websites – PPNNE, FB – ppnnehealth IG – #plannedparenthoodofnorthernnewengland)
Planned Parenthood of Northern New England (PPNNE) has (12) Healthcare Centers in Vermont, The following (7) locations offer gender-affirming HRT, Barre, Brattleboro, Hyde Park, St. Albans, Burlington, Rutland and White River Junction. There are (5) additional health centers in Bennington, Middleburry, Newport, St. Johnsbury and Williston as well as Telehealth. All of the PPNNE health centers in Vermont offer many important services to all patients including primary care, women’s and men’s healthcare and sexual health including testing for HIV/STD. Click the following links for details on services and locations. If you are not near a health center that offers gender-affirming HRT, try calling telehealth at one of the centers that does offer HRT to learn if it is available vitrually.
Payment Options: Many PP Health Centers accept insurance and offer financial help, check on the websites and with the center for details.
Planned Parenthood serves teens and adults. HRT is provided to adults 18+, but the many PP Health Centers offer service to patients 16 to 17 andyou may be able to get HRT with parental consent and additional paperwork, check with the Health Center about HRT and with any quesitons on age limitations for services.
VA Health Care for LGBTQ Veterans in Vermont has (1) organization, White River Junction VA Medical Center, (Websites – VA Salt Lake City Health Care System, FB – U.S. Dept. of Veteran Affairs, IG – @deptvetaffairs)
According to the U.S. Dept. of Veteran Affairs, Patient Care Services for LGBT veterans includes the following (and other) services – gender-affirming HRT, treatment and prevention of STIs/PrEP, cancer screening, prevention and treatment. If there are questions reach out to the LGBT Veteran Care Coordinator (VCC) at the site.
Payment Options: VA healthcare is offered free of charge to veterans. Veterans may have some copays.
White River Junction VA Medical Center has (1) medical center in White River Junction and (7) associated clinics (2) in New Hampshire in Keene and Littleton and (5) in Vermont in Bennington, Brattleboro, Burlington, Newport and Rutland.
LGBT Veteran Care is for U.S. veterans.
Mountain Lake Plastic Surgery (Website – Transgender Top Surgery FB – Mountain Lake Plastic Surgery, IG – @mountainlakeplasticsurgery)
Dr. MacLennan offers MTF and FTM top surgery
Payment Options: Mountain Lake Plastic Surgery accepts medical insurance. There are no options for financial aid, but there are options for financing for plastic surgery.
Mountain Lake Plastic Surgery has two facilities in Colchester and St. Albans.
Ages limitations are not obvious, but services appear to be oriented to adults, contact the provider for more information.
Two Online Guides (1) Guide to Finding a Trans* Friendly Endocrinologist by Hormone Health Network – (Website – Transgender Health, FB – The Hormone Health Network, IG – none found) and (2) Guide to LGBTQ+ friendly healthcare providers in Vermont (Website – Vermont Diversity Health Project. FB – Pride Center of Vermont, IG – @pridecentervt)
Check with individual providers in the resources guides for payment options, locations and age limitations for services.
About the author, Gayle M. Frankenbach, Ph.D. is the mother of a Daughter, Lise and a transgender son Elliott. Elliott and Gayle both passionately desire to care about and care for the trans community. Elliott and Gayle also both love the unbound creativity of the cosplay community. When we realized there is a big overlap between the two communities B.UR.SLF, LLC was born at the interface of these two great communities to serve them individually and together. Elliott and Gayle also enjoy running a trans son & parent business to be visible for parents on a journey to visibly support their own trans kids and be a great allies.