Everything You Need to Know About Medical Transition for System Involved Youth

Kelsey Pacha

Training Description

This training will educate providers about at least two paths to medical transition available for system involved youth who are transgender, nonbinary, or questioning their gender. We will review research about medical transition’s impact on long-term health outcomes. Participants will review the five Tanner stages of puberty, which determine what kind of medical interventions are available for system involved youth, and the impact possible future surgical options. We will review standard of care protocols and procedures used to determine the appropriate path for adolescents for whom medical transition is indicated, including required & recommended socioemotional support, psychological care, and continued evaluation, through a lens of supporting youth who are involved in the foster care system. Participants will explore how to support trans & nonbinary youth, caregivers, and other providers who may support system involved youth in this process, while engaging ethical concerns, risks, & common misinformation about medical transition. Participants will review best practices in supporting system involved youth & their caregivers in medical transition and complete a case study applying these practices.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

1. Define medical transition & explain research about its socioemotional impacts.

2. Distinguish the five Tanner stages of puberty.

3. Identify at least two types of medical transition for system involved adolescents based on Tanner stage, gender identity, & socioemotional needs.

4. Identify at least two best practices for supporting trans & nonbinary system involved youth based on at least two medical transition paths.

5. Explain law AB 2119, Gender Health in Foster Care, and its impact on access to medical transition for CA youth in care.

6. Apply at least 1 best practice to a case study in small groups.

Agenda 

1:00-2:30pm  Introductions: name, gender pronoun, one thing you wish to learn. Define medical transition & research about its socioemotional impacts. Review common misinformation about medical transition. Review the five Tanner stages of puberty.

2:30-2:45pm  Break (CE hours will not be offered for this time).

2:45-3:45pm  Identify two types of medical transition for adolescents based on Tanner stage, & possible social & emotional needs. Explore permanent versus reversible changes and standard of care protocol for transgender, nonbinary, and gender questioning youth.

3:45-4:45pm  Identify best practices for supporting trans youth based on path to transition. Explore AB2119 & its use to help youth in care access medical transition. Apply best practices to a case study in small groups. Review three supportive community resources.

4:45-5:00pm  Final Questions & Answers and wrap-up. Course evaluations.

Meet Our Trainer

Kelsey Pacha, MA, M.Div. is a trans man who has worked with marginalized communities for 15+ years in a variety of settings. He holds a Master of Religion and Psychology, Master of Divinity, and Certificate of Sexuality and Religion from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, CA. He also holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Development and Psychological Services from Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. He is the owner of Kelsey Pacha Consulting, which supports the work of institutions and individuals in increasing their capacity for cultural humility and social justice-informed institutional change. Kelsey offers educational trainings and LGBTQ workplace policy expertise with an emphasis on practical skills, identity awareness, and personal empowerment. He regularly works with corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion officers and LGBTQ affinity groups, as well as legal, clinical, medical, and direct service

(including child welfare and faith leader) personnel. 

This course meets the qualifications for (3.75) BBS CE Hours for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.