| Established | 2021 |
|---|---|
| Founded at | Western Massachusetts |
| Legal status | 501(c)(3) |
| Purpose | Trans and gender diverse healthcare |
Region served | Western-Mass, The Berkshires, New England, Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, and National |
| Methods | Gender-Affirming Healthcare, Research, Advocacy, Education, Community |
CEO | Joan Erwin [1] |
| Website | https://transhealth.org |
Transhealth, Inc. is an American independent and comprehensive trans healthcare center that services trans and gender-diverse individuals and families. Transhealth was founded in Western Massachusetts in 2021 to provide clinical care, research, advocacy, and education related to gender-affirming healthcare. [2] [3]
The PATH Project (Plan and Act for Transgender Health)], a needs assessment conducted as a partnership between local gender-diverse community members and staff from The Fenway Institute, Cooley Dickinson Health Care, and Harvard Medical School, [4] was designed to inform the creation of Transhealth.
Transhealth was incorporated in Massachusetts on October 16, 2020. [5]
Transhealth opened on May 4, 2021.The healthcare center began by providing care for trans and gender-diverse people of all ages in Western Massachusetts clinical services including: primary adult care, pediatric care, gender-affirming hormonal care, and mental healthcare. [6] A range of non-clinical services were also in the vision to support the community, research, education, and advocacy. [7] These pillars of clinical care, research, education, and advocacy were advanced through local partnerships, educating students, collaboration with policy advocates, and expanding patient care. [8]
Transhealth is attempting to serve the needs of the estimated 20,000 trans and gender-diverse individuals across different parts of New England. Transhealth currently serves 2500 patients and thousands of additional community members. Now, Transhealth is a member of the New England Gender C.A.R.E Consortium. [9]
Transhealth advanced policy change by commenting on moves by the federal and state government. [10] [11] Transhealth advocates for the need for increased healthcare access through telehealth and interstate licensure, and expanding reimbursement and incentives for gender-affirming care. [12] [13] [11] Transhealth is a member of the National LGBTQI Health Roundtable. [14] [15]
Transhealth is involved in educational initiatives across Western Massachusetts and nationally and provides clinical training for medical students and other allied health professionals. [16]
Transhealth has assisted in the development of the Endocrine Nurses Society Position Statement on Transgender and Gender Diverse Care. Transhealth plans to continue community-based participatory research once the organization has developed an Institutional Review Board. [17]
