On June 10, 2024, Illinois Department of Human Services and Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago announced the launch of a new statewide initiative that supports and expands gender-affirming care. The new Transgender and Gender Diverse (TGD) Wellness and Equity Program expands comprehensive and medically necessary care for transgender, gender-diverse, and LGBTQ+ people throughout Illinois.
Here are excerpts from some of the media coverage that followed, spotlighting a few of the fifteen participating organizations:
Funding to expand LGBTQ health care services reaches Peoria
by Madison Porter, 25 News – Peoria, June 10, 2024
Central Illinois Friends is one of 15 organizations to receive a piece of more than $1 million through the state’s new Transgender and Gender-Diverse (TGD) Wellness and Equity Program.
The program, started by the Illinois Department of Human Services and Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago (PHIMC), was created to expand gender-affirming health care to the LGBTQ+ community.
“Providing services that understand the uniqueness of this population, that are focused on making sure that they are affirmed and welcomed, is essential,” PHIMC CEO Karen Reitan said. “It’s a population that hasn’t had these kinds of affirming services state-wide before, and it’s high time that they do.”
[read more]
Illinois Boosts Gender Validating Treatment via New State Plan
by Celina Brooks, South County Mail, June 11, 2024
In spite of Illinois’ progressive reputation regarding gender validating care, a substantial number of LGBTQ+ adults bypass healthcare access because of expected discrimination and disrespect from service providers. A study by the Center for American Progress shows that one-fifth of LGBTQ+ adults avoid seeking treatment under these circumstances while this figure rises to a third when considering transgender and nonbinary individuals.
This new initiative is geared towards addressing such issues via increased training in transgender care for physicians and sensitization among healthcare providers, about specific challenges confronting gender diverse individuals. The hope is to close existing health inequality gaps while offering safer, more inclusive healthcare options for all patients.
[read more]
IDHS, PHIMC announce statewide gender-affirming care initiative
by Jay Bull, Illinois Eagle, June 14, 2024
“I think it’s such good news for Illinois because affirming care services for all people especially transgender and gender diverse people are essential to good health,” said Karen A. Reitan, president and CEO of PHIMC. “And for our state to make a commitment across all of Illinois to improve services for marginalized groups is really important and it will lead to better health outcomes – physical and mental health outcomes for folks all across the state.”
The new program is intersectional as it not only helps LGBTQ+ people as a minority, but also addresses other minorities that exist within the community. Addressing social health determinants such as historical ancestry, contemporary trauma, and the unique impact on black, indigenous, and other people of color who identify as transgender, gender-diverse, and other LGBTQ+ identities is part of what the new program seeks to address.
[read more]
New initiative to expand gender-affirming care across Illinois
by Cindy Hernandez, Chicago Sun Times, June 10, 2024
A new initiative aims to help organizations serving LGBTQ+ communities by expanding gender-affirming care across Illinois.
The Illinois Department of Human Services announced Monday that the new Transgender and Gender Diverse Wellness and Equity Program will provide organizations with comprehensive and medical care for transgender, gender-diverse and LGBTQ+ people.
[read more]
New state program expands transgender, LGBTQ care
by Maureen Foertsch McKinney, NPR Illinois, June 10, 2024
A new state initiative is designed to support and expand gender-affirming care…
“We are so proud to play a role in this programming for our gender-diverse community. Together with our partners, such as PHIMC and these grant recipients, we will counter stigma and provide equitable access to healthcare,” said Dulce M. Quintero, IDHS Secretary
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