Ethical and Legal Considerations for Professionals Caring for Transgender Youth
In recent years there has been increased interest by young people and their families in seeking various types of gender-affirming care. In Fall 2022, the World Professional Association for Transgender Health issued updated guidelines that reflect considerably greater attention to the needs of transgender and gender diverse youth than ever before—and yet the provision of this care has also proved to be politically and legally controversial. Phil Duran and Dr. Katherine Spencer will examine key ethical and legal concerns practitioners must consider when working with this population.
About the Presenters
Phil Duran is a lawyer admitted to practice in Minnesota since 2000. His work at Rainbow Health, and previously OutFront Minnesota, has frequently focused on legal issues facing transgender/nonbinary individuals. In recent years, he has emphasized expanding access to gender-affirming care in both public and private health plans, and in public-policy advocacy affecting both. He has been directly involved in several critical legal actions in Minnesota to expand access to care, particularly for young people.
Katie Spencer, PhD, is an assistant professor, licensed psychologist, and AASECT certified sex therapist (CST) at the Institute for Sexual and Gender Health (ISGH). She is the Behavioral Health Medical Director for M Health Fairview Comprehensive Gender Care. Dr. Spencer provides training and education of therapists and medical providers in sexual and gender health care competency. She provides consultation and advocacy on insurance and policy issues in gender affirming healthcare. She is an author on the Sexual Health chapter of the eight version of the WPATH Standards of Care for Gender Diverse Healthcare.
Continuing Education Information
1 CE Credit, Instructional Level: Intermediate
1 Contact Hour (New York Board of Psychology)
Learning Objectives:
- Identify two critical changes in the Standards of Care (8th version) that affect youths’ access to gender-affirming care.
- Explain the role of mental-health professionals both in caring for transgender and gender diverse youth and in ethically facilitating care.
- Describe three existing or emerging legal concerns relating to the provision of gender-affirming care.
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Webinar start time is 2:00pm ET/1pm CT/12pm MT/11am PT