Overview
A the Center for Gender-Affirming Care at Rady Children’s, we provide a safe space for all.
Here, our mission is to provide comprehensive, compassionate, evidence-based care and support to meet the needs of children, adolescents and young adults with gender dysphoria and related health care needs.
Gender dysphoria is a diagnosis that describes the emotional distress that may occur when one’s birth assigned gender and gender identity do not match. Being transgender, nonbinary or gender diverse is not a mental health problem. However, some transgender individuals have co-existing conditions, such as anxiety or depression.
Transgender, nonbinary and gender diverse youth are frequently discriminated against and may not get support and understanding from peers, friends and family. Finding care providers that are knowledgeable and familiar with treatment options can also be challenging.
At Rady Children’s, we’re working to change that.
We utilize a multidisciplinary, family systems approach, bringing together mental health professionals, pediatric endocrinologists and adolescent medicine specialists to provide comprehensive care.
Recent research shows that gender affirming medical interventions were associated with a substantial improvement in both depression and suicidality over a 12-month period.
It is fundamental to Rady Children’s mission to provide care to the children, adolescents and young adults in our community that may improve, or even save, their lives.
While our treatment of gender dysphoria is based on the current guidelines from the Endocrine Society (J Clin Endocrinol Metab– November, 2017 102(11):1-35) and World Professional Association of Transgender Health -WPATH (Int J Transgender, 23:S1-S258–232, 2022), care is always individualized to best meet the specific needs of each patient.
Related Services
For more information, please contact us at 858-966-8493.
Crisis Support Services
If you or someone you know needs immediate crisis support services, please call 911 or visit your local emergency room.
Other Crisis Support Resources:
- San Diego Mobile Crisis Response Teams (MCRT): 888-724-7240
- Rady Children’s Hospital Behavioral Health Urgent Care: 858-966-5484
- The Trevor Project – 24/7 crisis support services for LGBTQ young people.
Call 866-488-7386 or Text 678-678.