Quote:
Originally Posted by DapperButch
Ebon, read this:
http://www.thegavoice.com/index.php/...forming-people
I am not certain when version 7 Standards of Care go into effect, but they came out 2 weeks ago.
What you need to know:
In version 6 (updated 2001), you had to have one letter from a therapist (of any graduate degree who worked with trans individuals), say that you should be able to receive hormones. You also needed one letter for top surgery.
NOW, although an "assessment" is needed to determine if one needs hormones, the doctor who is prescribing the hormones can do the "assessment". It no longer has to be a therapist.
I would suggest that you call all of the endocrinologists on your insurance list to see if you can find one who works with transpeople. If you find one who does, ask if they know/let them know, it can now be done without a therapist letter and see what they say.
An endocrinologist has a greater knowledge base than a primary care physician about, well, the endocrine system. :-)
Obviously, if you know anyone in your area who has transitioned, contact them to see who they go to.
Good Luck
ETA: Also see: http://www.wpath.org/documents/Stand...11%20WPATH.pdf
Here is version 7 Page 33 talks about criteria to receive hormones. |
To add what Dapper posted, this seems to vary from state to state/province to province and city to city. In NYC I didn't need a letter from a therapist. I ended up having a 30 min interview with a social worker and that was it. Even then it wasn't really required as the doctor, who specialized with gender variant people, was already ok with my decision. Part of this has to do with age, life status and the experience of the doctor themselves.
Now, I will say, that prior to this I had done about 9 months of a support group so a lot of the self-exploration that is often a requirement I had done.