Nonprofit OutCare Health works to ensure LGBTQ+ health equity

Next month, Children's Hospital Los Angeles is ending its gender-affirming care surgical program and closing its Center for Trans Youth Health and Development.

CHLA administrators point to the Trump administration's threats to cut federal funding as a major part of its controversial decision.

It is far from the only organization feeling the impact. Nonprofit OutCare Health helps connect patients with gender-affirming care providers.

President and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Dustin Nowaskie, joined us to discuss the issue.

QUESTION: How did OutCare Health get started and and what services does it provide?

NOWASKIE: OutCare Health is a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting health equity for LGBTQ+ communities worldwide. We just celebrated our 10th birthday, so we've been around a decade now. I founded the organization when I was a medical student for a variety of reasons, primarily when I was a student I realized that there was a severe lack of LGBTQ+ education, and even today many providers have never received any type of LGBTQ+ education or training. That was many years ago, and as we stand today, our ultimate vision is to create a world where every LGBTQ+ person has access to quality healthcare and feels empowered to live their healthiest, most authentic life.

QUESTION: How is the current political environment impacting OutCare Health?

NOWASKIE: It's impacting us just as much as many, many LGBTQ+ nonprofits across the country and the world. First and foremost, gender-affirming care absolutely saves lives. There has been a wealth of data and research that has consistently shown that gender-affirming care does improve health outcomes, mental health, life satisfaction and overall well-being. Unfortunately, in this current sociopolitical climate, we are seeing that there is much more restriction on access to life saving, gender-affirming care. I looked this morning and the ACLU is reporting that there have been about 600 anti-LGBTQ+ bills that have been proposed this year alone, many of which target gender-affirming care.

QUESTION: What happens when that gender-affirming care is inaccessible?

NOWASKIE: It leads to profound consequences. We see that when gender-affirming care is restricted, whether that is social affirmation, legal affirmation, medical affirmation such as hormones and surgeries and many additional medical interventions, we see an exacerbation of people's health outcomes. We see that their physical health conditions, their mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, substance use, suicidality, it goes way up. These medical interventions, gender-affirming care, it's life saving. That data has been around for decades.

QUESTION: Where can people go for more information?

NOWASKIE: I highly recommend whenever you're trying to support LGBTQ+ endeavours, please look locally. We do have a community resource database where you can access local LGBTQ+ organizations. Whether in your town or in your state, please support local organizations. They need it the most right now. Then if you want to support nationwide organizations such as OutCare Health, you can go to our website at outcarehealth.org. Whether it's philanthropy or volunteering or donations, please support as many organizations as you can, especially this Pride Month.

Click here for local support resources for the LGBTQ+ community.