We are strongly committed to supporting the health, well-being and success of our patients in the various settings where they spend their lives. To do this, the Gender and Sexuality Development Clinic (GSD Clinic) is partnering with medical professionals and schools to provide insight and training that will increase transgender competent healthcare and create more supportive school environments.

In medicine

Many pediatricians have shared with us that when they learn they have a transgender child or youth in their practice, they want to do more to ensure the best care experience for the patient and their family.

The GSD Clinic:

• Reviews best practices and policy guidelines to support lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth and families in a healthcare setting
• Offers tailored consultation and training on how best to provide specific medical care for transgender patients

In 2017, we conducted trainings for more than 500 care providers both in and outside Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) Care Network.

In schools

In addition to facing challenges in healthcare, transgender youth face high rates of bullying and harassment in school — which often leads to missed educational opportunities. With grant support from a local family foundation, the GSD Clinic has formalized its Safe Schools curriculum and is tracking outcomes for the program.

Through the Safe Schools program, GSD Clinic staff work with individual schools and school districts to provide trainings to administrators, staff and teachers to improve the classroom environment for transgender students. When school leadership commits to the support and inclusion of transgender students, the result is reduced depression and anxiety among transgender and gender-expansive youth, and they are more likely to remain in school.

Since the GSD Clinic opened, each year we receive 40 to 50 requests for school trainings — and the requests for in-depth assistance continue to rise. Trainings include small staff consultation, school- or district-wide workshops. In 2017, we completed 33 trainings in 15 schools; reaching more than 1,500 educators.

Trainings for school administrators and staff include information on:

• Understanding gender identity in the context of child development

• Establishing trans-inclusive policies

• Identifying ways to reduce gender-categorized classroom activities and projects
• Clarifying what bullying and harassment looks and sounds like for transgender students
• Establishing accountability plans that will reward students and teachers who put a stop to harassment

Staff who have received our trainings report increased ability to support transgender students and improvement in overall acceptance for gender diversity in the school environment.

Additionally, families tell us they are comforted by staff and students knowing how to be supportive of transgender students and increased accountability in the school community.

In the community

In addition to formalized programs for medical professionals and school staff, the GSD Clinic also offers training and outreach to community groups, including recreation centers, churches, synagogues, sports teams and after-school programs, interested in collaborating on ways to increase awareness and better support transgender youth.

Empowering transgender youth

A Q&A session with Linda Hawkins, PhD, MSEd, LPC; and Nadia Dowshen, MD, MSHP about empowering transgender and gender diverse youth.

Contact us

To discuss training opportunities for your institution or group, please contact us at genderclinic@chop.edu or 267-426-5980.