Gender Development Program
The THRIVE Gender Development Program operates on five philosophical principles:
- Affirming Care: We approach gender diversity in a supportive and exploratory manner that appreciates all forms of gender identity and expression.
- Best Practice/Evidence-Based Care: The team approaches care through a lens informed by the latest standards of care in the field.
- Individualized Care: Every patient and family is unique and that there is no one treatment plan that fits all.
- Multidisciplinary Care: Various specialties may be included in the process for a particular youth/family in order to meet the emotional and physical needs of the youth.
- Patient/Family Centered Care: The team approaches youth and families holistically, appreciates all perspectives within a family system and prioritizes safety and wellbeing of the youth.
Our Team
The THRIVE Gender Development Program consists of adolescent medicine, behavioral health therapy, endocrinology, clinical medical social work and psychiatry who work with families of transgender and gender diverse youth and adolescents to help meet their treatment needs.
Behavioral Health
Our behavioral health providers serve patients and families who are seeking gender affirming medical treatment or when gender identity development plays a significant role in their emotional and social wellbeing.
What To Expect
- A meeting will take place with a mental health professional that might be a therapist, a psychiatrist or an advanced psychiatric nurse practitioner, depending on the specific needs of your family.
- A holistic assessment will be completed with your family over a course of two to three sessions.
- The professional will meet with members of the family together as well as separately, allowing each member to share their own experience privately with the clinician.
Adolescent Medicine
Adolescence is a time of rapid growth and development. For some gender diverse youth the physical, cognitive and social changes that occur in adolescence can pose additional challenges.
Our adolescent medicine providers work closely with the team to ensure that the reproductive health and medical needs of patients are met.
Specific services within the THRIVE adolescent medicine clinic include education initiation, management of gender affirming medications, inclusive sexual and reproductive health care, menstrual management and other affirming interventions.
For families and youth who are looking for primary care needs and are seeking affirming healthcare providers, the general Adolescent Medicine Clinic can provide primary care services.
What To Expect
- A meeting will take place with one of our THRIVE adolescent providers, a pharmacist and social workers at your first appointment; first visits may last 1-2 hours.
Endocrinology
Our Endocrinology providers meet with patients and families to provide education on gender affirming care. This may include fertility preservation options, puberty blockers or gender affirming medicines. The team will provide education on how they monitor possible interventions, and how these interventions impact health. They work closely with the rest of the team to take the unique aspects of each family into account.
What To Expect
- You and your family will meet and have an informational session with one of our THRIVE Endocrinology providers, nursing and social workers at your first appointment; first visits may last 1-2 hours.
Social Work
Our Medical Social Work team is available to meet with families during endocrinology, adolescent medicine, behavioral health appointments. Medical social workers are also available by phone to support families between appointments.
What To Expect
- Assist with needs that can prevent a child from accessing healthcare
- Help families connect with resources in the community and within Nationwide Children’s Hospital
- Work with families to identify strengths that can be used to address needs
- Engage services within the hospital and greater community to further support optimal family functioning and wellness
- Work with providers across the gender development team to promote collaborative care