Gender-Affirming Letters of Readiness
If you are seeking gender affirming surgery, or hormone replacement therapy, you will likely be required to provide a letter of readiness to your provider that will inform the provider or surgeon and insurance company about the type of services, HRT therapy, or surgery you are seeking, why you are seeking this type of care, and a psychosocial history that supports the need for the HRT, surgery, or other gender-affirming care.
We currently provide letters of readiness for residents of North Carolina and South Carolina. *Most states require a mental health provider to be licensed in the state where the treatment will occur.
OUR PROCESS
Any adult individual seeking a Gender Affirming Letter of Readiness can do so one of two ways: Establish ongoing mental health care with one of our providers (in which case documentation will be provided as a part of your care plan for no additional fee), or meet with one of our therapists for a minimum of one 50-90 minute consultation and additional follow-ups as appropriate to determine psychological readiness. You will receive a thorough mental health assessment, and a letter for your provider to provide evidence for the necessity of your gender-affirming care (HRT, top-surgery, bottom-surgery, etc.).
On occasion your therapist may request additional sessions to obtain the needed information to support completing your letter.
Following the completion of session(s) which includes a bio-psychosocial assessment, should you qualify for treatment, the therapist will complete the letter in an agreed upon time frame, typically within 30 days. *This process can be expedited for an additional fee.
Your services include at least one session and allows for the cost of the evaluation and the letter writing to be covered.
One time Fee for Gender-Affirming Letter of readiness (including mental health evaluation) $350
*Additional amendments or provider requirements may be offered at $100 per billable hour.
What Letters may include
We follow WPATH standards for our letters. Your readiness letter will typically include:
A statement reflecting your desire to undergo gender-affirming surgery
An confirmation of your understanding of the effect of gender-affirming surgery or procedure *including the permanency of some procedures, where applicable
A statement of your ability to consent to the procedure
Any necessary clearance from other mental health or medical conditions that could negatively affect the outcome of the gender-affirming surgery
An assessment that you are doing well on all your medications (including if you are taking hormones or other medications) if you are taking any.
A psychosocial history of your experience with gender
An evidence-based clinical opinion for probable outcome of your receiving gender-affirming HRT, surgery, or other necessary care for your mental health.
INSURANCE AND DIAGNOSTIC CODES
It is usually required by both your medical provider as well as your insurance provider for a letter to include a medical diagnostic code for “gender dysphoria” in order to cover transition-related care as medically necessary. You may not fit this diagnostic code exactly, but in some cases, the code is needed in order for insurers to pay for the surgery. A good example of this might be a letter for a person who identifies as nonbinary who may not have specific dysphoria related to one gender or the other. In circumstance such as this, they might still need a gender dysphoria diagnostic code attached in order for insurance to cover the surgery.
Whatever the barrier, our professionally trained providers are qualified and ready to meet people wherever they are in their journey of self-actualization, self-acceptance, and moving toward a more authentic you.
Contact UsThis is what you have been waiting for. Contact us to schedule your evaluation today!
LEGAL DISCLAIMER
Kindred Spirit Counseling Services, PLLC and/or our affiliated providers cannot guarantee any specific outcome. We use an evidence-based approach and WPATH standards to determine appropriate readiness for HRT therapy and/or gender-affirming surgery. Participating in and paying for an evaluation does not guarantee your readiness for any procedure. If your provider determines you are not ready or able to participate in your desired procedure, you may elect to participate in ongoing gender-affirming mental health care to further explore your individual needs. We are here to help! Remember, at Kindred Spirit Counseling Services, PLLC, We Journey With You.
