Healthcare & HRT for the Transgender Community in California

26 Jan Healthcare Resources and HRT for the Transgender Community in California

Posted at 17:38h in Trans Health Care, Transgender Health Care, Wellness Wednesday by Gayle Frankenbach

Hi Everyone,

This has become a very challenging time for almost all Americans and especially for the LGBTQ+ community. While we work to meet these challenges and support each other, it is important to make sure we take care of our own health. We are updating our #WellnessWednesday posts to reflect sites that are still compassionately offering Transhealth services. We are doing this work by states in alphabetical order

The good news for California is that California is a state that provides comprehensive gender-affirming care. California law prohibits discrimination based on gender identity or expression. The Transgender, Gender Diverse, and Intersex (TGI) Inclusive Care Act guarantees access to gender-affirming healthcare services. Most health insurance plans in California cover gender-affirming care, including hormone therapy, surgery, and mental health services and Medicaid (Medi-Cal) and Medicare also provide coverage for gender-affirming care in California.

California is a sanctuary state for transgender youth, meaning it protects them from laws in other states that restrict their access to gender-affirming care. Minor children in California can receive gender-affirming care with parental consent.

The California Department of Public Health provides information and resources on gender-affirming care: The California Dept. of Public Health (CDPH) LGBTQ Health. The Trans Equality Project Advocates for Trans Equality (A4TE) which was founded in 2024 as the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE) and Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund (TLDEF) has a list of California-based gender-affirming care providers on their A4TE Health Project webpage. The California Attorney General’s Office protects the rights of transgender individuals to access gender-affirming care: Attorney General Bonta Issues Statement on President Trump’s Executive Order Seeking to End Youth Aceess to Gender Affirming Care.

While it’s nice to have a list of resources, in these posts we can also give you a few details on what each of the organizations we post actually do. We’ll conitnue to go through updating the posts by states alphabetically, unless you send us a note and request a particular state and we’ll move requests to the top of the list.

Some states have lots of resources and we’ll let you know as best we can where in the state the resources are located. Other states don’t have as many resources. So the number of states we post each week will vary. Sometimes it will be a post about one or two states with lots of resources and sometimes it will be a post about several states with a few resources each.

This week we are looking at California. California is blessed with an enormous number of resources for Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Non-Conforming care for adults, youth and children as well as huge number of Planned Parenthood Health Care Centers. While VA Clinics did provide care for LGBTQ persons, given the current political climate, we are no longer recommending these clinics as their close association with the federal govertment makes these an unknown to us. Many resources across in California are, to their credit, creating comfortable places for transitional medicine as well as routine proactive health maintenance and interventionary health care. We will try to highlight what is offered in each case.

If you still can’t find the health care you need, drop us a note on FB (B.UR.SLF LLC), instagram/ twitter @burslfllc or email burslfllc@gmail.com and we will see what we can do to help.

This week we are covering resources for Californa.

California:

Contra Costa Health Services Gender Clinic (Website – Gender Clinic for Transgender and Nonbinary Patients, FB – Contra Costa Health Services, IG – Contra Costa Health Services)

The Gender Clinic has a staff trained in transgender health issues to provide culturally competent care including gender-affirming hormone therapy, medicine management as well as referrals for surgery and other transition related care including connections to mental health and legal resources.

Payment Options: Contra Costa Health Services accepts insurance and has multiple programs for financial assistance see Health Coverage.

Please note that this clinic has specific times and places to see gender non-conforming, non-binary and transgender clients ages 18 and older. The times and places are :

Martinez Health Center, Every 3rd Thursday morning – 8 am to 12 pm
West County Health Center, Every 4th Thursday morning – 8 am to 12 pm
Pittsburg Health Center, Every 3rd Thursday morning- 8 am to 12 pm

These are not drop in clinics. Appointments can be made by referral or call 800-495-8885.

Theese locations are in Richmond-Antioch Areas, between San Francisco and Sacramento

Adults 18+ and possibly youth with parental permission, call the clinic to find out

Kaiser Permanente Thrive, East Bay – Transgender Care (Website – Gender Affirming Case, Gender-Affirming Care for Youth and Children at the Proud Clinic FB –Kaiser Permanente Thrive, IG – @kpthrive)

Kaiser Permanente provides gender-affriming services to adults and the Proud Clinic provides gender-affirming care to youth and children, including an endrocrinology specialist and although it doesn’t specifically sight geneder-affirming hormone therapy, it is likely provided.

Kaiser Permanente East Bay used to have both an adult gender specialist team and a pediatric gender specialist team specifically listed on their website. The links for these groups no longer point to the group, but only the general website, so call Kaiser Permanente for specifics on services for age groups. Teams did include specialists in surgery, gynecology, nursing internal medicine and also mental health and social workers wich provided HRT, sugical referrals and other services. Teams work together to provide these gender-affirming health care services.

Payment options: Kaiser Permanente has several Health Care Plans including low income and uninsured options.

The Multi-Specialty Transitions Dept. is still listed on Google as located in Oakland and there are a variety of locations for Kaiser Permanente across the East Bay Area.

Adults, youth and children are served along with their families.

Kaiser Permanente Thrive, Southern California – Transgender Services (Website – Gender Affirming Case, Gender-Affirming Care for Youth and Children at the Proud Clinic, FB – Kaiser Permanente Thrive, IG – @kpthrive)

Transgender Services provides gender-affirming hormone therapy and surgery as well as primary care, sexual health care and mental health carehttps://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/health-wellness/gender-affirming-care. Care for youth and children is provided at the Proud Clinic, contact the clinic to learn about specific service

Payment options: Kaiser Permanente has several Health Care Plans including financial assistance and options for people who are uninsured

Click the link for a map to locations in southern California

Adults, youth and children are served along with their families.

UCLA Health Gender Health Program (Website – Gender Health Program, FB – UCLA Health, IG – @uclahealth)

The multi-disciplanary team of physicians and care providers appears to do just about everything. Primary health care, hormone therapy, facial resconstruction and body modification including chest/top surgery and genital reconstruction & bottom surgery, reproductive health, gynecological services and fertility services, vocal surgery, behavioral health services, case management, referrals to specialty physicians.

Payment Options: UCLA Health participates in over 100 managed health care plans, but there are no obvious options for financial assistance.

The Gender Health Program is located in Los Angeles

The program serves children, adolescents and adults who are trangender or gender diverse

Los Angeles LGBT Center, Transgender Health Program (Website –Transgender Wellness Center, FB – Los Angeles LGBT Center , IG – @lalgbtcenter)

Full range of primary care services, gender-affirming ormon therapy, pre- and post-surgical care. Sexual health services with HIV/ STD teating and treatment including

Payment Options: which include Medi-Cal, Medicare, most major insurance plans, and some HMO, help to get insurance through Covered California or determine your eligibility for medical and drug assistance programs as well as financial assistance can be found at the insurance plans link

The LA LGBT Center Transgender Health Program is located in Los Angeles

Ages served not stated, the center appears to serve adults, but call for age limts on specific programs

Transgender Care – UCSF (Website – Transgender Care, FB – UCSF Medical Center, IG – @UCSFMedicalCenter)

UCSF is a multi-disciplinary program with specialists in transgender care and surgery, primary care, gender-affirming hormone therapy and surgery, voice and speech therapy, sexual health and reproductive health, pelvic pain and health care navigation.

Payment options are not obvious, but details on insurance plans and medi-cal are available at the link. Call the provider for further details.

The Transgender Care Program is affilicated with UCSF Medicine and located in San Francisco.

This program is for the transgender and non-binary communities and appears to be for adults. Children and adolescents are referred to UCSF Benioff Children’s, click the link or see below.

Santa Rosa Community Health (Website – Santa Rosa Community Health, FB – Santa Rosa Community Health, IG – @santarosacommunityhealth)

Santa Rosa Community Health is listed on Google as having a Gender Clinic but access to the page is controlled, so call the SRCH and inquire about services.

Payment options: Insurances accepted are listed at Costs & Insurance and there is a sliding scale and other options for people who need help with medical bills at Get Help with Costs

The Gender Clinic in Santa Rosa used to be located at Lombardi Campus of Santa Rosa Community Health, call to confirm

Ages of patients provided geneder-affirming health care is not specified, call to inquire

Santa Clara Valley Medical Center Gender Health Center (Website – Gender Health Center and Gender Clinic, FB – Santa Rosa Healthcare, IG – @scvalleyhealthcare)

The Gender Health Center provides holistic care to adults 18+ including gender-affirming hormone therapy, top/bottom surgeries, primary care, sexual and reproductive health care, testing and prevention of STI/ HIV including PEP and PrEP, mental/emotional health and social support. The Gender Health Center also serves children/youth from ages 5 thru 17 by coordinating gender-affirming hormone therapy and puberty blockers with the patient’s current primary care physician.

Payment Options are not obvious

The Gender Health Center is located in Downtown San Jose and the Gender Clinic is located in East San Jose

The Gender Clinic has a program for adults 18+ and used to serve children/youth ages 5 thru 17, ages for services are no longer specificed so call for confirmation

CTYHD at Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles (Website– The Center for Transyouth Health and Development (CTYHD), FB – Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, IG – @childrensla)

Gender-affirming health care for transgender and gender diverse children and youth, call the program to confirm. Although not stated it is assume that gender-affirming health care includes gender-affirming hormone therapy Additional sevices includes sexual health education including groups, one-on-one navigation services and HIV/STD (Sexually Transmitted Disease) screening and treatment. Access to PEP (Post Exposure Prophylaxis) and PrEP (Pre Exposure Prophylaxis) for HIV prevention.

Payment Options: Children’s Hospital at Los Angeles accepts insurance and has options for financial assitance the billing and insurance link.

The CTYHD is in Los Angeles

This program is for children, youth, and adults along with their families.

USCF Benioff Children and Adolescent Gender Center Clinic (Website – Chldren and Adolescent Gender Center, FB – UCSF Benioff Childrens, IG –@UCSFchildrens)

The Children and Adolescent Gender Center Clinic serves gender non-conforming children and adolescents, Before the onset of puberty, our care focuses strictly on social and emotional development, and they don’t offer gender-affirming medical treatments. Once a patient reaches puberty, gender-affirming medical treatments may be considered following a thorough mental health assessment by a gender specialist. by offering gender-affirming hormone therapy and puberty blocking as well as psychological care.

Payment Options: UCSF Benioff Children’s accepts health insurance, medicare, medicad and has financial assistance options for self-pay patients. For all the options click the link for price transparency

The Gender Center Clinic is in San Francisco

The Gender Clinic serves is for children and youth ages 3-17.

Rady Children’s Hospital, Center for Gender Affirming Care (Website – Center for Gender Affirming Care, FB – Rady Childrens – San Diego, IG – @radychildrens

The Center for Gender Affirming provides gender-affiirmng medical care, contact the center for specific care information. Mental health and other support services for trans youth and families available

Payment Options: Rady Children’s accepts insurance and has options for Financial Assistance at the link

The Center for Gender Affirming Care is in San Diego.

The Center for Gender Affirming Care serves children and adolescents together with their families

Stanford Children’s Health, Lucille Packard Childrens Hospital – Pediatric and Adolescent Gender Clinic (Website – Pediatric and Adolescent Gender Clinic, FB – Stanford Childrens Health, IG – @stanfordchildrens)

The Pediatric and Adolescent Gender Clinic at Stanford is a multidisciplinary clinic that provides medical services for gender nonconforming youths and their families including care for children and youth making a transition. The clinic includes specialists in pediatrics, adolescent medicine, endrocrinology, and urology. They maintain close ties with groups specializing in primary care, adolescent gyneocology, fertility preservation, and mental health.

Sevices are not outlined, but it is assume the team can handle most aspects of transition medicine like gender-affirming – check the website for details and contact information.

Payment Options: Stanford Children’s accept insurance and has a financial assistance program check the link at Financial and Insurance Information

The Pediatric and Adolescent Gender Clinic is located in Stanford

The Pediatric and Adolescent Gender Clinic serves children and adolescents

Family Health Centers of Sandiego, Transgender Health Services (Websites – Transgender Health Services, FB – Family Health Centers of San Diego (FHCSD), IG – @familyhealthcenterssd)

Transgender Health Services provide adult gender-affirming hormone therapy, call to understand age limitation for gender-affirming hormone therapy for younger patients, sexual and reproductive health with STI/ HIV testing and treatment including PEP and PrEP, OB/Gyn services, contraception, routine medical screening like colonoscopies.

Payment Options: FHCSD accepts health insurance, other payment options are not obvious

Transgender Health Services is located in San Diego, Chula Vista (San Ysidro) and Vista.

Transgender Health Services accepts adults and pediatric patients. Check with the provider for age limitations on particular services

Planned Parenthood California

California has an enormous amount of Planned Parenthood Health Centers. PP is generally an affordable option for gender-affirming HRT as well as many other primary care, routine medical care and sexual/ reproductive health care options. Many PP health center are now also offering remote health care via telehealth even for HRT and so it is no longer necessary to be able to travel to a particular health center to recieve care. There are 78 of these PP Health Centers and the (6) affiliated PP organizations. See a summary of this post below.

California has an amazing (78) Planned Parenthood Health Centers that belong to (6) different Planned Parenthood organizations. The (6) Planned Parenthood organizationations are (1) Planned Parenthood of Northern California – PPNC, (2) Planned Parenthood Mar Monte – PPMM, (3) Planned Parenthood California Central Coast – PPCCC, (4) Planned Parenthood Los Angeles – PPLA, (5) Planned Parenthood Pasadena and San Gabriel Valley, Inc. – PPPSGV, and (6) Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest, Inc. – PPPSW. These offer different services and a few are fully dedicated to one service. Here is a run down of LGBTQ services in California Health Centers.

Paryment Options: Many PP Health Centers accept insurance and offer financial help

Generally PP Health Centers serve patients 18+, but some sites will provide gender-affirming HRT to ages 16/17 with parental consent, check with the individual health care centers for age limitations on services.

Plume Clinic 100% On-Line Gender-Affirming and Trans-Focused Healthcare (Website – Plume, FB – Plume Clinic, IG – @plume_clinic)

Plume Clinic offers 100% on-line gender-affirming and trans-focused care for your full authentic self. They offer a wide range of services including gender-affirming hormone therapy transition support, sexual health services, mental health and everyday wellness.

Click the California link for Plume Clinic online service to California

Payment Options: Plume accepts self-pay in Alaska for their monthly membership plans.

Patients must be 19 years of age to get services from Plume

California VA Health Care Systems

We no longer recommend VA Health Care and clinics as safe spaces for transgender and nonbinary people to recieve care.