Planned Parenthood of Indiana Expands Life-Saving Gender-Affirming Care, Responding to Community Need
For Immediate Release: Sept. 16, 2024
“My life as a trans woman living in Indiana has been hard, but GAC has made it worth living.”
INDIANAPOLIS, IN — Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai‘i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky (PPGNHAIK) is proud to announce that Gender-Affirming Care (GAC) is now available at all its Indiana health centers for patients ages 18 and older. In response to a growing community need, PPGNHAIK has expanded both the number of locations and appointment availability at a time when provider shortages have limited access to all essential sexual and reproductive health care services across the state. GAC allows individuals to fully embrace and affirm their true identity, empowering them to live authentically as the people they have always been. PPGNHAIK remains committed to being a beacon of inclusive, compassionate care.
“For me, GAC means everything. Growing up, I always felt like there was something wrong with me. For years, I thought my feelings stemmed from anxiety and depression. Medication kept me stable, but I still wanted to die every day. GAC changed that. Now, I feel a vibrant range of emotions, my self-esteem has improved, and I feel confident and beautiful. My life as a trans woman living in Indiana has been hard, but GAC has made it worth living. I can say definitively that GAC is life-saving,”— Sophie T., a Planned Parenthood patient in Indiana.
Planned Parenthood health centers in Indiana have seen a 23 percent increase in patient demand for gender-affirming care over the past year, thanks to expanded access at PPGNHAIK locations. GAC services include hormone replacement therapy, gender-affirming hair preservation, surgery coordination, and other medical transition support. Every GAC patient at PPGNHAIK also has access to a GAC Navigator, who helps connect patients with affirming providers, assists with name and gender marker changes, and supports appeals of insurance rejections for hormone care. PPGNHAIK providers are trained in gender-affirming care and use the informed consent model, allowing patients to access hormone therapy without needing a therapist's diagnosis.
PPGNHAIK is dedicated to ensuring that all patients, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, receive the care and support they deserve and has eleven health centers throughout Indiana, where telehealth appointments are also available:
In recognition of PPGNHAIK’s efforts, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation has awarded the organization a score of 100 on the 2024 Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), designating it as a “Leader in LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality.” The HEI is a national benchmarking tool used to evaluate health care facilities' policies and practices regarding the equity and inclusion of LGBTQ+ patients, visitors, and employees.
For more information or to make an appointment online or in person, patients can call 1-800-769-0045 or visit their nearest Planned Parenthood health center. PPGNHAIK currently provides GAC to patients ages 18 and older.
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Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai‘i, Alaska, Indiana, Kentucky (PPGNHAIK) is a leading sexual and reproductive health care provider and advocate. The organization operates 35 health centers in Alaska, Hawai‘i, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, and Western Washington and provides medical services and sexuality education for thousands of people each year. Planned Parenthood is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and relies heavily on charitable donations to ensure our patients' ability to determine their own destinies and receive the health care they need.