“Healthcare Options Expanding for Transgender Patients in Peoria, Pekin”
Peoria TransGender Society 7/14/2016
Peoria Public Radio WCBU 89.9: “Healthcare Options Expanding for Transgender Patients in Peoria, Pekin” by Cass Herrington of WCBU • Jul 13, 2016 Great news for the Peoria area!!!!!! Planned Parenthood announced Wed. its centers in Peoria and Pekin will begin offering hormone treatment and preventative care, specifically for transgender patients as soon as Aug. 1. Read the whole article by clicking on the WCBU link above!!!! This wonderful development for the Peoria/Pekin area is transpiring from the TransHealth Forum 2016 and the dedication of several wonderful individuals, Kris Haley of PTGS and Bethany Hillman of Planned Parenthood Illinois (PPIL).There will be more news & announcements coming soon. Check back here often as Pam Adams of the PJ Star will be doing a story on these wonderful developments for the transgender community. This story will be posted here as well for your viewing.
TransHealth Forum 2016
Peoria TransGender Society 4/16/2016
This was an exciting day for PTGS!! On Saturday April 16, 2016 the first organized event addressing health care issues facing the transgender population of metropolitan Peoria, IL was hosted by Peoria TransGender Society at the downtown Peoria Public Library. The forum, envisioned as an opportunity for local stakeholders to discourse on the topic from a variety of perspectives, attracted thirty-two participants from as far away as Bloomington/Normal, Canton and Havana.
A keynote address was given by Shelly Smith, LMFT on the topic of “TransHealth Professional Certification initiative by the World Association of Professionals for Transgender Health (WPATH)”. The 2015 inaugural event in Chicago, IL quickly sold out 200 available seats, as did a subsequent event in Atlanta, GA. A third event was held in Springfield, MO in April 2016. The organizers of that forum posted this:
Overview
Burrell Behavioral Health and the Springfield-Greene County Health Department are pleased to announce the program for this stellar conference event. The WPATH Conference was sold out in both Chicago and Atlanta, and we are grateful to the staff and professionals at WPATH for this unique mid-west opportunity.
The transgender population continues to grow in our country, and many are concerned about having their appropriate and sensitive healthcare needs being met. A good healthcare provider always asks questions about health behaviors in a sensitive way, not making any assumptions, but assessing patient level of risk. However, the transgender population is not always comfortable, knowing that often they are seeing providers who have little or no training in the unique mental and physical needs of this population. Thus, patient communication is compromised, and discussions about sex, gender, lifestyles, risks, and other significant health concerns are not addressed openly and honestly.
There is much to learn regarding this sector of our community, from the differences between social and medical transition, hormone therapy, reconstruction surgeries, silicone and oil injections, and including their unique mental health needs. Although the trans community is growing and becoming more visible, research and literature on trans health remains sparse. It is for this reason that the staff at Burrell Behavioral Health and the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) are hosting this special conference event. Presenters have years of experience with this population, and offer informative, evidence-based, practical training that you need in your healthcare practice. We look forward to seeing you here in Springfield, Missouri!
Ms. Smith, herself a member of WPATH, presented specific information obtained from her attendance at the 2015 Chicago event. In particular, she discussed the volume and breadth of content presented to the diverse, international audience of medical professionals representing many disciplines. Encouraged by WPATH’s initiative she hopes to pursue certification herself while educating others on the importance of this initiative.
Additional Presentations
• Bethany Hillman of Planned Parenthood Illinois (PPIL) spoke on the topic of available trans-health services rolling out at their facilities in Chicago, Champaign, and in Peoria soon.
• Len Meyer of Central Illinois Pride Health Care from Bloomington presented information on their efforts to gain 501(c)3 status to begin fundraising for the envisioned health-services facility there.
An active question-and-answer period followed. Refreshments and social interaction completed the forum.
Peoria Transgender Society / TransHealth Forum 2016 Resources
NCTE – National Center for Transgender Equality
1400 16th St NW, Ste 510
Washington, DC
(202) 642-4542
www.transequality.org
2011 National Transgender Discrimination Survey http://www.thetaskforce.org/static_html/downloads/reports/reports/ntds_full.pdf
2015 U.S. Trans Survey
http://www.ustranssurvey.org/study/
“The State of Transgender Health Care – Policy, Law, and Medical Frameworks”
Daphna Stroumsa, MD, MPH
Am J Public Health, 2014;104(3):e31-e38
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3953767/
