There’s no one-size-fits-all health care solution for 2SLGBTQI+ folks…
By Jumol Royes
Take a moment to do a quick inventory of the various health care practitioners and providers you access on a regular basis.
When you’re feeling sick, you probably visit a local walk-in-clinic or make an appointment to see your family doctor, if you’re fortunate enough to have one. You might also have a therapist on speed dial or a peer support group that helps you cope with anxiety, depression or other mental health concerns. If you’re in search of testing and treatment for an STI, a community or sexual health clinic is likely your first stop.
There’s no one-size-fits-all health care solution for 2SLGBTQI+ folks who often require specialized services, programs and supports that take their sexual orientation and gender identity into consideration when addressing their unique needs.
Whether you’re looking for gender-affirming health care, mental health and addictions services or sexual health support, these 2SLGBTQI+ friendly health care providers are ready to take care of you.
Halifax Sexual Health Centre
(Halifax, NS)
What services do they provide: With the mission of improving and optimizing the sexual health of all members of the community by providing high quality and caring services and empowering clients to make healthy choices, the Centre offers STI and anonymous HIV testing, pregnancy tests, social work support, transgender/gender affirming health, free condoms and lube, sexual health education and Mpox immunizations.
Who they serve: Welcomes people of every race, ethnicity, culture, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ability and income-level. Youth-friendly and does not require parental consent.
How to access care: Call 902-455-9656 ext. 0 to book an appointment.
Anishnawbe Health Toronto
(Toronto, ON)
What services do they provide: Improves, supports and promotes the health, well-being and healing of Indigenous Peoples through a multidisciplinary health care model. Offers crisis management programs, specialized mental health services, walk-in counselling, youth outreach programs, physiotherapists, community health worker training programs, two-spirit and trans peer support, counselling and housing support.
Who they serve: First Nations, Inuit and Métis (status and non-status and their families). Clients must register with Anishnawbe Health Toronto to access primary care. For mental health and substance use supports, new clients can self-refer to the program for intake (no appointment necessary).
How to access care: Call 416-360-0486 to arrange a primary care intake appointment. Mental health and substance use intake is done at the Gerrard Street site (179 Gerrard Street East), Monday to Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Intake appointments last up to one hour.
London InterCommunity Health Centre
(London, ON)
What services do they provide: The Trans Health Team specializes in trans and non-binary related health care with wraparound supports like physicians, a dedicated program nurse, social workers and other supports, as well as referrals to affirming specialists. Services include hormone replacement therapy, mental health support with transitioning and more.
Who they serve: Clients who live in London with a referral from the primary care physician (family doctor). Clients without a family doctor are also able to self-refer. Wait time from referral to first visit is generally two weeks.
How to access care: Call 519-660-0874 ext. 1279 or email transhealth@lihc.on.ca.
The Gender Clinic at BC Children’s Hospital
(Vancouver, BC)
What services do they provide: The Gender Clinic supports the needs of transgender and gender-questioning youth by providing treatment with puberty blockers and/or gender-affirming hormones. The team at BC Children’s Hospital (endocrinologists, endocrine nurses and social workers) works in partnership with community mental health professionals (psychiatrists and psychologists), Trans Care BC and the BC Transgender Clinical Care Group to deliver endocrine care to this population.
Who they serve: Accepts referrals up to the patient’s 17th birthday. Patients can be referred by family doctors, pediatricians, nurse practitioners or psychiatrists. The wait time for an intake appointment is within four to eight months of a referral.
How to access care: Call 604-875-2345 ext. 6550 or email bcchgenderclinic@cw.bc.ca.
To find a 2SLGBTQI+ friendly health care provider in your area, visit the IN Directory, Canada’s national 2SLGBTQI+ community resource directory, at inmagazine.ca/directory.
JUMOL ROYES is IN Magazine’s director of communications and community engagement, a GTA-based poet and storyteller and glass-half-full kinda guy. He writes about compassion, community, identity and belonging. His guilty pleasure is watching the Real Housewives. Follow him on Instagram @jumolroyes.
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