Healthcare Resources and HRT for the Transgender Community in South Carolina and South Dakota

Hi Everyone,

You know that we want you to be healthy and safe.

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 document sites that are still compassionately offering Transhealth services.  We are doing this work by states in alphabetical order.  This week we are covering resources in South Carolina and South Dakota.  Many resources across the country 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.

South Carolina

In May 2024, South Carolina enacted a law, H. 4624 (the “Help Not Harm” bill), that significantly restricts access to transgender health care. The law prohibits gender-affirming care for minors and bans the use of state funds, including Medicaid, for such care for individuals of any age. 

Prism Health (Website –  LGBTQIA Health Care, FB – Prism Health-Upstate, IG – @prisma_health

Prism Health is a group of providers from various specialties who collaborate with the overall goal of improving the healthcare experience for LGBTQ people while decreasing healthcare disparities for these patient populations.  Services can include primary care, sexual health, STI and HIV prevent, testing and treatment, some providers offer gender-confirming HRT to transgender patients.  

Since this is a collaborative of health care providers check with the individual provider for locations, payment options, and age limitations on services.

MUSC Health and MUSC Children’s Hospital (Website – LGBTQ Services FB – MUSC Health,  IG – @muschealth)

MUSC Health has transgender specific services including gender-confirming HRT, pre and post surgical care and trans-sensitive pap smears, pelvic exams, and prostate exams, primary care, an infectious disease clinic with HIV screening, treatment and prevention (PrEP).  Dental services are also available.

Payment Options: include insurance and MUSC will help patients without insurance arrange payment plans.

MUSC has many locations.

MUSC Health LGBTQ Services are for adults.  Check with the programs for age limitations for the programs and services.       

University of South Carolina, Health Services (Website –Student Health and Well Being, FB – UofSC , IG – @uofsc)

UofSC, Health Services may have more limited services for transgender and nonbinary students since the legislature passed laws limiting gender-affirming services available through public institutions

Payment Options:  Services are covered by student health insurance.

Health services are available on the campus of Southern Carolina in Columbia.

Services are for U of SC students.

Planned Parenthood of the South Carolina is part of (1) organization Planned Parenthood of South Atlantic (PPSAT) and has (2) Health Centers (Websites –  PPSAT, FB – PPSouthAtlantic, IG – #plannedparenthoodsouthatlantic)

PPSAT has (2) health centers in South Carolina, Charleston Health Center and Columbia Health Center.  The Charleston health center offers gender-affirming HRT, through Transgender Charleston and by telehealth to help patients anywhere in South Carolina.  Both health centers offer a wide range of  important services available to all people including primary care, HIV, SIT testing, counseling, and treatment PEP and PrEP, contraception and gynecological care including PAP smears. For services at each of PP organizations, click the services links in the above paragraphs.

Payment Options: Many PP Health Centers accept insurance and offer financial help, check on the websites and with the center for details.

PPSAT serves teens and adults.  HRT is provided to adults 18+, but the many PP Health Centers offer service to patients 16 to 17  andyou may be able to get HRT with parental consent and  additional paperwork, check with the Health Center about HRT and  with any questions on age limitations for services. 

VA Health Care for LGBTQ Veterans in South Carolina – We no longer recommend VA Health Care and Clinics as safe spaces for LGBTQ people to receive health care.

Two Online Resource Guides from the Campaign for Southern Equality and the Harriet Hancock LGBTQ Center (Websites – Trans in the South Resource Guide 2019, Campaign for Southern Equality and Harriet Hancock Resource Guide, Harriet Hancock Center FB –  Southern Equality, Harriet Hancock LGBT Center, IG – @southernequality and @harriethancockcenter.

Check with individual providers in the resources guides for payment options, locations and age limitations for services.  

South Dakota

In South Dakota, a 2023 law, HB 1080, bans hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and gender-affirming surgeries for transgender minors under 18. The law is in effect, but mental health care is still permitted. For adults, gender-affirming care is available through some providers, though access can be limited.  As of August 2025, Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming surgeries or prescriptions for both minors and adults is banned.  Gender-affirming care, including hormone therapy, is provided to transgender inmates in the South Dakota Department of Corrections, in compliance with federal law. In addition to restrictions on medical care, South Dakota has enacted other laws affecting transgender people, such as a 2025 bill that restricts bathroom use based on sex assigned at birth in public facilities.

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 South Dakota link for Plume Clinic online services.

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

Planned Parenthood in South Dakota is part of (1) organization, Planned Parenthood of the North Central States (PPNCS) that has (1) health center (Websites – PPNCS. FB – PP North Central States , IG – @ppnorthcentralstates).

PPNCS has (1) health centers in Sioux Falls, Sioux Falls Health Center which offers gender-affirming HRT at the health center and via telehealth – Telehealth Transgender Hormone Therapy to help patients anywhere in South Dakota.  The health centers offers a wide range of  important services available to all people including primary care, HIV, SIT testing, counseling, and treatment PEP and PrEP, contraception and gynecological care including PAP smears. For services at Sioux Falls health center click the services link in the above paragraph.

Payment Options: many PP Health Centers accept insurance and offer financial help, check on the websites and with the center for details.

HRT is provided to adults 18+, but the many PP Health Centers offer service to patients 16 to 17  andyou may be able to get HRT with parental consent and  additional paperwork, check with the Health Center about HRT and  with any questions on age limitations for services. 

VA Health Care for LGBTQ Veterans in South Dakota – We no longer recommend VA Health Care and Clinics as safe spaces for LGBTQ people to receive health care.

Resources for Transgender people in South Dakota include  An online list of medical resources from the Black Hills Equality, A Guide from Campaign f or Southern Equality and information from  TransAction South Dakota – although their website is temporarily closed offers resources for Transgender individuals – see their FB and IG  (Websites –  Black Hills Equality,  Campaign for Southern Equality, FB – Black Hills Center for Equality,  Southern Equality, and Trans Action South Dakota, IG – @bhcfequality @southernequality, and @transaction_sd.

Check with individual providers in the resources guides for payment options, locations and age limitations for services.  

About the author, Gayle M. Frankenbach, Ph.D. is the mother of a Daughter, Lise and a transgender son Elliott.  Elliott and Gayle both passionately desire to care about and care for the trans community.  Elliott and Gayle also both love the unbound creativity of the cosplay community.  When we realized there is a big overlap between the two communities B.UR.SLF, LLC was born at the interface of these two great communities to serve them individually and together.  Elliott and Gayle also enjoy running a trans son & parent business to be visible for parents on a journey to visibly support their own trans kids and be a great allies.