30 Jun Healthcare Resources and HRT for the Transgender Community in Texas
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 Texas which has a large number of resources. Many resources across the country are, to their credit, creating comfortable places for transitional 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 Texas
Texas
Prism Health North Texas (Website – Transgender Primary Care, FB – Prism Health North Texas, IG – @prismhealthntx)
The Transgender Primary Care of Prism Health includes gender-affirming HRT, primary care, sexual health such as STI/HIV testing and treatment including PrEP and other services
Payment Options: Most insurance plans are accepted and financial assistance is available, click payment options for more information.
Prism Health has serveral locations in Dallas
Age limitations are not obvious, but services appear to be oriented to adults check with the provider for age limitations on services.
Braeswood Endocrinlogy (Website – Transgender Medicine, FB – Braeswood Endocrinology, IG – @braeswoodendo)
One of Dr. Zwiener’s specialties at Braeswood is Transgender Medicine including gender-affirming HRT.
Payment Options: Dr. Zweiner offers a membership plan, which is suggested to keep medical costs predictable and affordable. Lab fees are low. Check the link for details on the membership program.
Braeswood Endocrinology is located in Bellaire.
Age limitations are not obvious, but services appear to be oriented to adults check with the provider for age limitations on services.
Southwest Family Medicine (Website – Transgender Care, FB – Southwest Family Medicine Associates, IG – @southwestfamilymedicine)
Transgender Care includes a variety of services such as gender-affirming HRT, primary care, transgender health care, sexual health services incluing HIV testing and treatment and including PrEP, wellness screenings (breast/chest, cervical screening for trans men).
Payment Options: Most insurance plans and cash payments are accepted, click the links for more information. There are no obvious options for financial aid.
Transgender Care at Southwest Family Medicine is located in Dallas
Transgender Care is offered to adolescents and adults.
Resource Center, Gender Affirming Services (Website – Gender Affirming Primary Care, Nelson-Tebedo Clinic Transgender Services, FB – Resource Center, and Nelson-Tebedo, IG – @myresourcectr and @nelson_tebedo).
Resource Center is a community center for the LGBTQ community with a focus on helping groups affected by AIDS. The Center has gender-affirming services like gender-affirming HRT and STI/HIV testing and treatment including PrEP. The Center offers a wide range of health and wellness services, dental care, behavior care and support groups.
The Resource Center page also points to Nelson-Tebedo Clinic as a source for low cost HRT and HIV/STI testing.
The Resource Center mission is to empower the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) communities and all people affected by HIV through improving health and wellness, strengthening families and communities and providing transformative education and advocacy.
Payment Options: The Resource Center accepts major insurance and self-pay, no obvious financial assistance options, but the Center does point to Nelson-Tebedo Clinic as a low cost option.
Both the Resource Center and Nelson-Tebedo are located in Dallas.
At The Resource Center Age limitations are not obvious, but services health services are for 18+, but there are support group and behavioral services for younger people. Nelson-Tebedo serves 18+.
Legacy Community Health (Website –Transgender Specialty Care, FB – Legacy Community Health, IG – @legacycommunityhealth)
Legacy Community Health provides gender-affirming HRT, puberty blockers, STD testing, well person exams, pap smears and vaccines.
Payment Options: Legacy Community Health believes that comprehensive health care is a human right. That’s why Legacy’s services and programs are open to all who need us, regardless of the ability to pay, without judgment or exception (from their website). LCH accepts the uninsured and will help you find financial assistance for medical care. LCH also has a sliding fee scale. For more information, click on payment options.
Legacy community health has many locations in Houston, Beaumont and surrounding areas.
Legacy Community Health serves pediatric to geriatric patients, for age limitations on specific services check with LCH
Kind Clinic (Website – Gender Affirming Care, FB – Kind Clinic, IG – @kindclinic)
Kind Clinic offers gender-affirming HRT and other sexual health wellness services including HIV Testing, STI Testing and Treatment with PrEP and PEP Access and HIV Positive Care.
Payment Options: There are no costs for medical visits or labs for hormone therapy. There maybe be costs associated with getting hormones. If you have financial barriers to getting your hormones, Kind Clinic may be able to help if you qualify for financial assistance, see the website for more information.
There are several Kind Clinics in Austin and San Antonio, click the locations tab at the top of page on the website. Telemedicine is also available as virtual visits.
HRT is available to patients as young as 14. Patients 14 & 15 need a referral letter from a pediatric physician.
Children’s Health (Website – Gender-Affirming Care Program FB – Children’s Health, IG – @childrens)
The Gender-Affirming Care Program has an interdisciplinary team inclduing Adolescent Medicine, Endocrinology and OB-Gyn depts. among others. The Program offers gender-affirming HRT, puberty suppression and menstrual suppression.
Payment Options: Children’s offers financial assistance for medically necessary services, check this site for eligibility, a list of accepted insurance plans and a link to Transgender Equality’s Insurance Coverage Guide.
The Gender-Affriming Care Program at Children’s is located in Dallas
The Gender Affirming Care Program is for Children, Check with Children’s Health for any age limits on specific services.
Hector Granados, MD PA (Website – Gender Identify Clinic FB – granadosmd, IG – None Found)
Hector Granados is a Pediatric Endocrinologist. In the Gender Identity Clinic, he treats transgender/ gender fluid, gender expansive/ gender nonconfroming and gender questioning youth. As an endocrinologist, one would expect that this includes gender-affirming HRT, but this is not state. Call to understand specific services. The website is in English and Spanish.
Payment Options: Insurance and credit cards are accepted, click on resources for more information. There is no obvious financial assistance option.
Dr. Granados’ offices are located in El Paso.
Dr. Granados is a Pediatric Edocrinologist and treats children and adolescents. Check with Dr. Granados’ office for age limits on specific services.
University of Houston (Website – Transgender Health FB – UH LGBTQ Resource Center, IG – @uhlgbtq)
While it is not obvious if University of Houston has deidicated options for Transger or LGBTQ health care on campus, the student health insurance policy is very supportive and pays for gender-affiriming HRT and gender reassignment surgery.
Payment Options: The UH Endorsed Student Health V(Academic Blue – BCBSTX) plan covers the above services.
University of Houston is located in Houston.
UH Endorsed student health and health insurance is for UH students.
University of North Texas, Student Health and Wellness Center (Website – Transgender Health FB – UNT Student Health and Wellness Center, IG – @untshwc)
Once gender-affirming HRT is intitiated by your primary physician or hormone specialist, UNT Student Health and Wellness Center can continue your HRT.
Payment Options: Hormone replacement medication is covered under the United Healthcare Student Resources Insurance. Check with the UNT SHWC Pharmacy about ordering your hormone replacement medications.
Transgender Health is at SHWC on the University of North Texas campus in Denton.
Services are for UNT students.
Texas State, Student Health Center (Website – LGBTQIA+ Health FB – Texas State Student Health Center, IG – None Found)
LGBTQIA+ Health offers gender-affirming HRT, primary care, preventive care, and sexual health screenings including Pap smears, breast and testicular exams, sexually transmitted infection (STI) screenings.
Payment Options: The student health insurance plan through United Healthcare should cover all services and once the medical necessity for gender-affirming surgery is established, that should be covered too.
There are two Student Health Centers in San Marcos and one in Round Rock.
Services are for Texas State students.
Planned Parenthood of Texas is part of (3) Planned Parenthood organizations Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, Inc. (PPGT), Planned Parenthood South Texas (PPST) and Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, Inc. (PPGC) and has (29) Health Centers (Websites – PPGT, PPST and PPGC, FB – Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, Planned Parenthood of South Texas and Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, IG – @ppgreatertx, @ppsouthtexas and @ppgulfcoast)
Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas, inc. (PPGT) has (15) Healthcare Centers, Transgender Health Care, including Gender-affirming HRTand Telemedicine for some services. All of the Healthcare Centers offer HRT and other services. The (15) healthcare centers are in the following locations, Addison, Arlington, Austin (South), Austin (Downtown), Bedford. Cedar Hill, Dallas, Denton, El Paso, Southeast Fort Worth, Southwest Forth Worth, Mesquite, Paris, Plano. If you are not physically close to one of these sites, check with their telehealth service to see if they can arrange to offer HRT remotely or call Planned Parenthood South Texas Telehealth.
Planned Parenthood South Texas (PPST) has (6) Healthcare Centers, Gender-Affirming Hormone Therapy, and Telehealth for HRT and other services. The health centers are located in Brownsville, Harlingen, San Antionio (Marbach), San Antonio (San Pedro), San Antonio (Southeast), San Antonio (Northeast). If you are not close enough to any of these options, you can use Telehealth for gender-affirming HRT.
Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast, Inc. (PPGC) has (8) Healthcare Centers in the Houston area and offers Trans Health Care. Gender-affirming HRT is offered at the following (3) locations, Houston (Northville Health Centere), Tyler and Waco. The remaining locations are in Prevention Park Health Center in Houston, Southwest Health Center in Houston, Northwest Health Center in Houston, Spring Health Center in Spring, and Stafford Health Center in Stafford and all sites offer important services for all patients. Telehealth maybe offered for some services, but if you are not close enough to a site that offers HRT, called Planned Parenthood South Texas which offerss HRT via Telehealth.
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 Texas has (8) organizations, Amarillo VA Health Care System, West Texas VA Health Care System, El Paso VA Health Care System, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, VA North Texas Health Care System, South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) and VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System (VCB) (Websites – Amarillo VA Health Care System, West Texas VA Health Care System, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, El Paso VA Health Care System, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, VA North Texas Health Care System, South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) and VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System (VCB), FB – U.S. Dept. of Veteran Affairs, IG – @VeteranAffairs)
According to the U.S. Dept. of Veteran Affairs, Patient Care Services for LGBT veterans includes the following (and other) services – hormone treatment, 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.
VA healthcare is offered free of charge to veterans. Veterans may have some copays.
Amarillo VA Health Care System has (1) medical center, Thomas E. Creek Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, in Amarillo and (4) associated clinics (1) in New Mexico in Clovis, and (3) in Texas in Childress, Dalhart and Lubbock.
West Texas VA Health Care System has (1) medical center, George H. O’Brien, Jr., Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, in Big Spring and (5) associated clinics (1) in New Mexico in Hobbs and (4) in Abeilene, Fort Stockton, San Angelo and Odessa.
Central Texas VA Health Care System has (2) medical centers,Olin E. Teague Veterans’ Center, in Temple and Doris Miller Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, in Waco and (8) associated clinics in Austin, Brownwood, College Station, Cedar, LaGrange Palestine and Temple.
El Paso VA Health Care Syste has (1) medical center in El Paso and (5) associated clinics (1) in New Mexico in Las Cruces and (4) in Texas in El Paso (Central, Eastside, South Centeral and Westside).
Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center has (1) medical center, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, in Houston and (11) associated clinics in Beaumont, Lufkin, Conroe, Galveston, Houston (Humble outpatient), Katy, Lake Jackson, Richland, Sugar Land, Texas City, Tomball.
VA North Texas Health Care System has (3) medical centers in Dallas, Garland and Sam Rayburn Memorial Veterans Center in Bonham (10) associated clinics in Tyler, Decatur, Denton, Fort Worth, Granbury, Grand Prarie, Greenville, Plano, Dallas and Sherman as well as (1) Fisher House, a VA residential recovery facility in Dallas located at the Dallas VAMC.
South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) has (2) medical centers in Kerryville and Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans’ Hospital in San Antonio and (14) associated clinics with in San Antonio (11) New Braunfels, Sequin and Victoria.
VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System (VCB) has (7) associated clinics in Copus Christi (3), Harlingen (2), Laredo and McAllen.
LGBT Veteran Care is for U.S. veterans.
Amirlak Plastic Surgery (Website – Transgender Surgery FB – Bardia Amirlak (Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery), IG – @dramirlak)
Dr. Amirlak offers MTF and FTM chest surgery and facial masculization or feminization.
Payment Options: Amirlak Plastic Surgery accepts all major insurance. There are no options for financial aid, but the office suggests that there are companies that offer financing for plastic surgery.
Amirlak Plastic Surgery is located in Dallas.
Services can be offered to adolescents (in collaboration with Children’s hospitals) and adults. Check with Dr. Amirlak’s office for age limitations on services.
Crane Center (Website – Crane Center for Transgender Surgery FB – Crane Center for Transgender Surgery, IG – @cranects)
The Crane Center for Transgender Surgery offers over 10 procedurs for non-binary, MTF and FTM surgeries, including multiple options for top surgeries, bottom surgeries and facial surgeries including all the more common surgeries as well as less common options like metoidiodioplasty, phalloplasty, vulvoplasty, genital nullification, nipple removal.
Payment Options: The Crane Center is experienced working with major insurance companies to bill for transgender surgery. No financial aid options are obvious.
The Crane Center has locations in Austin and San Fransisco.
Age limitations are not stated, but appear to be for adults, contact The Crane Center with any questions about age limitations.
The American Institute for Plastic Surgery (Website – The International Center for Transgender Care FB – The American Institute for Plastic Surgery, IG – #theamericaninstituteforplasticsurgery)
The International Center for Transgender Care offers MTF and FTM top surgeries and genital confirmation surgeries, body and facial masculizationa and feminization procedures, and many other procedures that may also be useful like hair removal.
Payment Options: The American Institute for Plastic Surgery accepts major insurance plans, but also suggests carefully reviewing your plan and getting a pre-authorization for some procedures to be sure the insurance company will pay for all or part of the procedures. The Institute also offers financing. No obvious financial aid options are available.
The American Institute for Plastic Surgery is in Plano.
Age limitations on procedures are not given, but the services appear to be for adults. Contact the institute with any questions on age limitations.
Two Online Resource Guides from the Campaign for Southern Equality and the OutYouth (Websites – ,Campaign for Southern Equality and Out Youth FB – Southern Equality and Out Youth , IG – @southernequality and @outyouth.
Guides Trans in the South Resource Guide 2019 from Southern Equality and Transgender Wellness Resource Guide for Austin and Central Texas from OutYouth.
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.