Trans Buddy

“Healthcare for trans women is a necessity. It is not elective. It is not cosmetic. It is lifesaving.” — Laverne Cox

The Trans Buddy Program at Western Psychiatric Hospital (WPSY) is a community-led, peer-support organization whose goal is to increase access to and improve the quality of healthcare for transgender, non-binary, and gender expansive people.
 
The Williams Institute at UCLA estimates that there are 1.4 million transgender people living in the United States. Transgender people face many barriers when it comes to accessing healthcare. A survey by the National Center for Transgender Equality and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force found that nineteen percent of transgender patients were refused medical care and two percent were victims of violence in a doctor’s office. In a separate study by Lambda Legal, 70% of transgender patients reported facing serious discrimination in a healthcare setting. Even with well-intentioned doctors, there are aspects of our healthcare delivery systems that are not adequately designed to support the needs of transgender patients. Electronic Health Records are not generally designed to properly document preferred names and pronouns, and gender-related insurance coverage is often lacking when it comes to hormone or gender-affirming surgery needs.

WPSY has been ranked by the Human Rights Campaign as a leader in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer health care equality since 2014.

The staff is committed to treating all patients with the dignity and respect they deserve. Through the Trans Buddy program, WPSY assists transgender people throughout their inpatient or outpatient experience by engaging a network of volunteer advocates. These volunteers support trans and non-binary patients during healthcare visits and empower them to make their own informed decisions. Volunteers receive comprehensive training, and the program will also work to educate caregivers and clinics to help them offer knowledgeable and respectful treatment to transgender people. The Trans Buddy program works to improve healthcare for transgender people in Western Pennsylvania and serves as a model for other healthcare providers nationally.
 
The Kelly Ann Brown Foundation believes basic healthcare is a human right and we are proud to support the Trans Buddy program. To learn more about the wonderful work they are doing, visit their website.