Dear USPATH colleagues,

I hope you were able to find rest at the end of 2023 and that 2024 has started well for you and the people important in your lives.

First, I would like to applaud the merger of the National Center for Transgender Equality and the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund. As they become Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) we are excited for the opportunity to continue to work with them to share our experience and expertise in providing care for trans person.

Like many of you, we are watching closely the abysmal roll out of regulations and legislation designed to limit or ban access to medically necessary care for transgender and non-binary persons of all ages. We are extremely disappointed by Ohio Gov. DeWine’s apparent about-face on his veto of House Bill 68 and subsequent proposal of executive rules more onerous than the original bill. USPATH has been in contact with folks on the ground in Ohio to provide the evidence needed to counter these rules and regulations. To that effect, we have joined the Whitman Walker Institute in submitting comments to the Ohio Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services (ODMHAS) request for public comment on proposed rule O.A.C. 5122-26-19 “Gender Transition Care” and a proposed amendment to rule O.A.C. 5122-14-12 “Private Psychiatric Hospital: Program, Specialty Services, and Discharge Planning.” We have also been engaging with media to highlight the draconian nature of these proposed rules and how they do not follow the evidence or the standards of care. And myself and Dr. Jo Olson-Kennedy, USPATH President-Elect, joined a press conference hosted by the Human Rights Campaign to inform journalists of the research regarding transgender persons and the effects of denying access to medically necessary care.

Additionally, we have been traveling since the new year to meet with healthcare professionals at conferences, such as the American Medical Association State Advocacy Summit, to ensure they understand the science. We also recently finished a meeting to discuss the state of transgender care and legislation held before Creating Change in New Orleans, LA. These meetings have afforded us the opportunity to hear from leaders in states with active bans on medically necessary care and to discuss what can be done in the short- and long-term to safeguard access to care. Similarly, we will be eager to hear from folks at the upcoming First Event in Boston, MA to learn more about what can be done in border states to ensure access to medically necessary care for transgender persons.

Since last I wrote, our USPATH board has had its first meeting of 2024. Initiatives and outcomes from our January USPATH Board Meeting that I would like to highlight include:

1. The USPATH Board approved the creation of a Student and Trainee Special Interest Group (SIG) with Student Board Member, Melissa Bolick, serving as board liaison. More details of how to get involved will be sent at a later date.
2. The USPATH Board is exploring the creation of a survey of members to gather information on a number of issues (e.g., consequences experienced as a result of the current legal/political landscape). If you have an issue you would like the Board to consider including in a member survey, please reply to this email with your suggestions.
3. Our USPATH staff are exploring opportunities to improve how donations can be made to support USPATH’s initiatives, including our scholarships for conference attendees.

As a reminder, while we will do our best to respond to every issue, we are not omniscient. As such, we appreciate any USPATH member sending us local or national issues that warrant USPATH consideration.

As 2024 is well underway, I hope you and the people who care for you are taking time to rest as we continue to work towards equitable access for medically necessary care and the health and wellbeing of all trans persons.

In Solidarity,

Carl G Streed, Jr., MD, MPH, FACP, FAHA

President, US Professional Association for Transgender Health

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What we’re reading lately:

Adolescent Providers' Experiences of Harassment Related to Delivering Gender-Affirming Care. By Landon Hughes et al. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1054139X23003348

Ohio is on the verge of becoming the 2nd state to restrict gender-affirming care for adults. By Geoff Mulvihill. https://apnews.com/article/ohio-transgender-adults-health-gender-affirming-care-f3f1c6342a2f91cbeca5d7d91c8bbd31

Overview and Methodology of the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance Among Transgender Women — Seven Urban Areas, United States, 2019–2020. By Dafna Kanny et al. https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/73/su/su7301a1.htm?s_cid=su7301a1_w