Healthcare Resources and HRT for the Transgender Community in Minnesota

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 import to make sure we take care of our own health.  We are updating our #WellnessWednesday posts to document sites that are still compassionately offering Gender-affirming health services.  We are doing this work by states in alphabetical order.  This week we are covering Minnesota for Transgender, Non-Binary, and Gender Non-Conforming Care.

Many resources are, to their credit,  creating  comfortable places for routine and proactive health maintenaince as well as 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 listing resources for Minnesota.

Minnesota

Gender-affirming care is protected by law: Minnesota has enacted legislation safeguarding access to gender-affirming healthcare, including for minors, and prohibiting interference from other states seeking to penalize individuals or entities involved in providing or seeking such care.

Discrimination is prohibited: The Minnesota Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on gender identity in various areas, including employment, housing, public accommodations, and healthcare.

CentraCare LGBTQ + Health (Website – LGBTQ+ Medicine – Gender Affirming Care, FB –CentraCare , IG – @centracare_mn)

Gender-affirming care at CentraCare includes gender-affirming hormone therapy and gender-affirming surgeries.  Other available services include primary care, sexual health, testing, treatment and prevention of HIV/STIs including PrEP.

Payment Options:  Centra Care LGBTQ+ Health accepts insurance and financial assistance is available, check the link for eligibility pricing and financial assistance.

CentraCare is a health care network that spans central Minnesota check this link for locations.

Age limits are not obvious but appear to be for adults, check with the provider for age limits on services.

Mayo Clinic Endocrinology (Website – Transgender and Intersex Specialty Clinic, FB – Mayo Clinic , IG – @mayoclinic)

The Transgender and Intersex Specialty Clinic offers many gender-affirming service including hormone replacement therapy, masculinizing and feminizing top surgeries,  feminizing facial surgery, other feminizing and masculinizing surgeries, and voice therapy.

Payment Options:  Mayo Clinic accepts many insurance providers and financial assistance is available, charitable care and  financial assistance, if needed.  Click the links for more information.  

The Mayo Clinic is located in Rochester (and sites in other state like Phoenix and Scottsdale, Az and Jacksonville, Fl)

No age limits are given, but services appear intended for adults, contact the provider for more information on age limits for services.   

M Health Fairview  (Website – Gender Care Program,  FB – M Health Fairview, IG – @mhealthfairview)

Gender Care at M Health Fairview offers primary care, hormone therapy, feminizing and masculinizing gender confirmation surgeries  as well as speech therapy.

Payment Options: M Health Fairview accepts insurance and has financial counselors available to help patients who need additional financial help, are uninsured and/or may qualify for community care programs.  Click the link Bill Pay and Financial Services for more information.  

Gender Care is offered at a number of locations in metro Minneapolis.

No age limits are given, but services at the above website seem intended for adults.  For children puberty blockers may be available through  University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital, click the link for more information on puberty blockers.

Health Partners Park Nicollet (Website – Gender – Transgender Service, FB – HealthPartnersMN, IG – @healthpartners)

Transgender Services offers at Health Partners offers hormone therapy to the transgender, nonbinary and agender individual, as well as primary & wellness care, reproductive prevention and preservation, family planning, hysterectomies, pediatric referrals for endocrinology, surgical referrals and voice therapy.   

Payment Options:  Health Partners accept billing, insurance and medicare and also has a financial assistance program if needed.   Click the links for more information.  

Transgender Services at Park Nicollet is in Minneapolis

Park Nicollet serves adults, but referrals for pediatric endocrinology are available. 

Institute for Gender and Sexual Health (Eli Coleman) (Website – Gender Health Medical Services and National Center for Gender Spectrum Health, FB – Eli Coleman Institute for Gender and Sexual Health, IG – @isgh_umn)

Transgender Health Services offers hormone replacement therapy, Puberty Suppression for children and adolescents participating in the MHealth Fairview Sexual and Gender Health Clinic’s Gender Creative Children and Adolescents (gCHAD) program and sexual health, testing, treatment and prevention of HIV/STIs.

Payment Options: Institute for Gender and Sexual Health accepts insurance and has financial counselors available to help patients who need additional financial help, are uninsured and/or may qualify for community care programs.  Click the link billing and financial resources for more information.

Transgender health services is located in Minneapolis and offers telemedicine.

At the Center for Sexual Health, Transgender Health Services has programs for children,  Gender Creative Children and Adolescents, young adults, Young Adult Gender Services and adults, Adult Gender 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 Minnesota 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

Essential Health (Website – Transgender Care, FB – Essential Health , IG – @none)

Transgender Care offers primary care,  hormone replacement therapy (adult and pediatric endocrinology), breast removal (chest masculization) and breast augmentation (feminitization) and referrals to other specialties including gynecology and urology.

Payment Options:  Essential Health accepts many insurance plans and financial assistance is available, check the links for more information.  

Transgender Care at Essential Health is located in Duluth and other facilities check the link for locations.

Most services appear to be for adults, pediatric endocrinology is available so it is assumed that hormone therapy is avaiable to adolescents. 

Family Tree Clinic (Website – Transgender Health Services, FB – Family Tree Clinic , IG – @familytreeclinic)

Trangender Health Services offers hormone therapy and puberty blockers as well as many affirming services for trans, gender non-conforming and LGBTQ affirming services sexual and reproductive health testing and prevention of HIV, including, PrEP, comprehensive infection testing and treatment including confidential STI, gynecological care, testicular exams, breast exams, many general health care services, birth control, including hormone compatible birth control.

Payment Options: Family Tree Clinic accepts may insurance plans, can help set up payment plans and won’t turn away patients for inability to pay for services, click the link paying for services for more information.  

Trangender Health Services at the Family Tree Clinic are in St. Paul and telehealth is also available.

Family Tree Clinic serves adult and pediatric patients. 

North Memorial Health (Website – Total Transgender Health, FB – North Memorial Health IG – @northmemorial)

Total Transgender Health offers hormone therapy and puberty blockers (Prevention and treatment for HIV/AIDS, STD’s travel related infections and other complex infections.  Referrals for surgicals and other services.

Payment Options: North Memorial Health accepts many insurance plans and has a financial assistance program, click the links for more information.

Total Transgender Health has locations in Brooklyn Center and Maple Grove.

All ages are welcome. 

Children’s  Minnesota  (Website – Gender Health Program  FB – Children’s Minnesota, IG – @childrensmn)

Gender Health Services offers puberty blockers, hormone therapy, menstrual suppression, fertility preservation, integrative health care an integration of other subspecialties as needed.

Payment Options:  Children’s Minnesota accepts insurance and has financial counseling and assistance , click the link for more information

The Gender Health Program is in Minneapolis

This program is for children and adolescents.    

Planned Parenthood of Minnesota has (18) health centers that are part of (1) organization, Planned Parenthood of the North Central States (PPNCS) (Website – PPNCS, FB – Planned Parenthood North Central States, IG – @ppnorthcentralstates)

Many of the Planned Parenthood Health Centers in Minnesota offer Transgender Hormone Therapy.  Other available services include birth control, sexual health and prevention, testing and treatment for HIV/STI’s.   For these services be sure to search for LGBTQ Services at the Planned Parenthood website for the Planned Parenthood location nearest to you.

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

The (18) PPNCS Health Centers in Minnesota are located in Alexandria, Apple Valley, Bemidji, Brooklyn Park, Duluth, Eden Prairie, Grand Rapids, Mankato, Minneapolis, Moorhead, Richfield, Rochester, St. Cloud, St. Paul – Vadalia, St Paul – Rice Street, Virginia, Willmar and Woodbury, and they’ve expanded their Telehealth to include hormone therapy.

The service is intended for adults 18+, but some 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.

VA Health Care for LGBTQ Veterans in Minnesota  We no longer recommend VA Health Care and Clinics as safe spaces for health care for LGBTQIA+ people.

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.