State Invests in Community Organizations to Better Support Gender-Affirming Health Care for Californians

AMTV/SACRAMENTO, Oct 13 – The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has awarded five grants totaling nearly $2.4 million to provide gender-affirming health care services to Californians. The grants are designed to help ensure transgender, non-binary, gender non-conforming and intersex (TGI) Californians have access to lifesaving care.

“TGI people should have the same access to lifesaving care as every other Californian, and these grants move California another step closer to achieving that goal,” said Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer. “Access to gender-affirming health care reduces stigma and discrimination and saves lives, and now more than ever it’s critically important for young TGI Californians.”

While access to gender-affirming health care services has significantly expanded during the past 15 years in California, stigma and discrimination along with social, political and economic barriers, still impact access to life-saving care. Across the country, some states have implemented or considered actions to deny people gender-affirming health care. These actions deter TGI people from seeking care and exacerbate disparities, especially among children and youth.

ORGANIZATIONS RECEIVING GRANTS: Five organizations were awarded grants through the Transgender, Gender Nonconforming and Intersex Wellness and Equity Fund (TGI Fund):
Alianza Translatinx
Lyon-Martin Community Health Services
St. John’s Community Health and Transgender Health and Wellness Center
TransLatin@ Coalition and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
The TransPower Project, formerly known as Queer Works, and Desert AIDS Project

COMMUNITY IMPACT: “The TGI Fund clinical care grant will save many lives in Orange County and it will help strengthen our ability as an organization to provide access to gender-affirming health care services to TGI community members in OC. Alianza Translatinx enthusiastically looks forward to working with CDPH to help reduce the immense health disparities experienced by TGI OC residents caused by systemic discrimination in health care settings.” – Khloe Rios-Wyatt, President and CEO, Alianza Translatinx

ABOUT THE TRANSGENDER, GENDER NONCONFORMING AND INTERSEX WELLNESS AND EQUITY FUND: The TGI Fund was established to address the specific health needs of TGI Californians and provide much needed access to life-saving care and support. This is the first of three grant opportunities available as part of the TGI Fund and represents the state’s commitment to expanding access to health care by investing in Transgender-Serving Organizations to operate and guide the development of services.

BIGGER PICTURE: California has appropriated $10.3 million in grant funding to support clinical services, health care provider education, housing services and therapeutic arts programs at the local level. More information can be found on CDPH’s Gender Health Equity Section webpages.