You can still get gender-affirming medical care without restrictions in Missouri — for now

Susan Szuch and Greta Cross, Springfield News-Leader
·3 min read
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Last week, Missouri's Attorney General Andrew Bailey released the official language of an emergency rule that prohibits "experimental interventions to treat gender dysphoria" unless providers comply with a list of requirements. The rule applies to children and adults. It is the first of its kind in the United States.

Some residents are considering moving out of state because of the rule, and others have questions about how the restrictions will affect their ability to receive care that is necessary for their mental health, and in some cases, their physical well-being.

To read more about the impact the rule will have on Ozarks residents who are part of the trans and nonbinary community, find the News-Leader's in-depth reporting here (premium content).

Seeking legal aid

Immediately after Bailey released the full text of the emergency rule, Lambda Legal and the ACLU of Missouri put out a statement that promised "they will take any necessary legal action." In an email this week, the ACLU of Missouri confirmed that it is planning on taking legal action in response to the emergency rule.

"We should have the freedom to be ourselves and live our lives. Our freedom is what is at stake in the unelected Attorney General’s illegal twisting of consumer protection laws to insert the government into medical decisions adults make with their doctors," ACLU of Missouri said in a statement.

People affected by the regulation on gender-affirming care can contact the Legal Help Desk at Lambda Legal or the ACLU of Missouri for more information on their legal rights and local resources.

Seeking medical treatment

Until April 27, all Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region and Southwest Missouri clinics are scheduling additional appointments to accommodate new patients looking to begin gender-affirming care such as hormone replacement therapy. People can make appointments online or by phone.

As of Friday, nearly all of those appointments were full, according to PPSLR communications director Julie Lynn.

The nonprofit AIDS Project of the Ozarks (APO), which offers comprehensive transgender care, said it will continue to provide gender-affirming care to its patients.

"We are serving a diverse population of patients that have not been able to get care with other providers and plan to continue to serve our underserved populations in compliance with all current medical guidelines," said APO Executive Director Lynn Meyerkord.

In a statement on Thursday, April 20, CoxHealth reaffirmed its "mission is to improve the health of the communities we serve" by serving all patients, within the legal requirements.

"CoxHealth plans to abide by the rule as it is written, and our providers are actively working with affected patients. We are collaborating across our teams to ensure we meet all legal requirements," the statement said. "As always, we will continue to care for all patients in a compassionate manner."

Plume Health, a virtual healthcare system for transgender and non-binary individuals, announced on Friday, April 21 that it will be providing "rapid-response support" for Missouri residents at no cost until April 27. Through Plume, patients may attend a virtual consultation with a physician, receive treatment and lab work, and have access to Plume Support Groups and Plume Hangouts.

Need someone to talk to?

National and area hotlines are available for those in crisis or experiencing suicidal thoughts.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Legal, medical resources help trans Missourians handle emergency rule