Gender-affirming care describes ideal medical, surgical and mental health services sought by transgender, non-binary and gender non-conforming people. Gender-affirming medical care can range from routine preventive health care to hormone replacement, surgery or other interventions. Mental health services may include therapy, psychiatric medication and letter writing.

UW Seattle campus health staff and providers strive to affirm the identities of our patients in each interaction. Our approach to care is rooted in the informed consent model.

What to expect when seeking gender affirming care at Hall Health Center:

1. You will need to contact someone for an appointment. You can either call the scheduling desk of Hall Health Center, at 206-685-1011, and ask for an appointment, or contact Niki DeShaw, Hall Health Center’s Health Care Advocate, at 206-685-1034. If you are asked what your appointment is regarding, it is ok to say “gender affirming care” and you will be scheduled with a provider who is knowledgeable about gender-affirming care, including: Ada Otter, ARNP, Linda Whittlesey, ARNP, or Marte Brady, ARNP.
2. At your first visit you will meet the reception staff who will ask for your pronouns and the name you are using. They will also ask about your insurance and have you sign privacy documents.
3. You will be called back to your appointment by a medical assistant who will ask you a few intake questions and take your vital signs. It is always ok to ask not to be weighed or decline to answer a question that makes you uncomfortable.
4. The health care provider will come in next and talk with you about your health care needs. The health care provider will want you to tell them about your thoughts around your gender, and desired treatments. They will ask about your physical and mental health, as well as your family medical history. The history questions are not designed as a screening for eligibility for medications, just to make sure we are keeping you healthy as we treat you. There is a consent for hormone treatment that the provider will review with you to make sure you would like to proceed with this treatment if that is what you desire. Blood tests will be ordered and requested before you start medications. If you desire surgery, your provider will help you to identify a surgeon and place a referral to the surgeon for you. They can also help you with paperwork for changing gender markers on identification documents.
5. If you desire hormone treatment, once your lab work is done and consent is signed, your prescription will be sent to a pharmacy.
6. You will be asked to follow up with your provider at 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and then yearly. If doses are being adjusted, you may be asked to follow up more often.
7. You are always welcome to see your provider as often as you want, for gender-related concerns or other mental or physical concerns.
8. Billing for UW Seattle students: Your first visit per quarter will be billed to your insurance and the remainder of the visit charge will be covered by the “one free visit per quarter” benefit. This does not include the cost of labs or medications or any subsequent visits in the same quarter.
9. If you are concerned about your parents receiving information about your visit from your insurance, you can call your insurance and request that any notifications related to your care be sent to your own address.