KC CARE offers gender-affirming primary care and hormone therapy. We also offer behavioral health services and referrals to specialists, such as endocrinologists. KC CARE providers and nurses can assist with legal paperwork for gender marker and name changes. We can also assist with writing letters in support of gender-affirming surgeries.
KC CARE is a community health center, not a specialty clinic. At KC CARE, we know that your gender identity is an integral part of your overall health and wellness. In addition to prescribing hormones, your provider can also address chronic health needs and preventive care in a welcoming environment.
At your first visit, you will meet with a provider who will review your medical history and personal goals for hormone therapy. Your provider might request bloodwork on your first visit. You will be sent home with information about your hormone therapy options. At your follow-up appointment, after reviewing your lab results and answering questions you may have about hormones, you and your provider can decide to start on hormone therapy.
No. KC CARE uses an “informed consent” model for initiating hormone therapy. This means that the medical provider discusses the benefits and risks of hormone therapy with the patient and the patient can consent to hormone therapy without an approval letter from a mental health professional. Behavioral health services may be recommended by the provider to address issues such as depression, anxiety, or substance use, among others.
KC CARE provides gender–affirming hormone therapy for individuals 18 years and older. If you are under 18 and would like to discuss hormone therapy, we recommend contacting Gender Pathways Services at Children’s Mercy Hospital at 816.960.8844.
Initially, your provider may want to see you every 1-3 months as your hormone doses are being adjusted. You will need bloodwork to check hormone levels during this time. Eventually, your appointment intervals may extend to every 6-12 months.
For questions about gender-affirming hormones please contact our hormone therapy nurse, Kipp Ellis, at 816.656.8954. To schedule an appointment, please call 816.753.5144.