Q&A
Discussion of Intro 1027 on gender-affirming items and medical devices
2:28:59
·
4 min
Council Member Sandy Nurse inquired about the current process for obtaining gender-affirming items and medical devices, as well as DOC's feedback on Intro 1027. CHS and DOC officials provided information on their current practices and concerns regarding the proposed legislation.
- CHS asks every patient about their gender identity upon admission and provides education on accessing services
- CHS offers medical treatments, hormone therapy, and access to medical devices as needed
- DOC is committed to providing gender-affirming items but must ensure safety and security
- Some items mentioned in the legislation, such as wigs, are currently not permitted for any individuals in custody due to security concerns
- DOC has expanded the list of permitted gender-affirming items in recent years, including chest binders
- DOC supports the intent of the legislation but has concerns about specific items and safety implications
Sandy Nurse
2:28:59
do so.
2:28:59
Okay.
2:29:00
Great.
2:29:02
Okay.
2:29:05
I'm gonna ask about intro 1027 on behalf of council member Hudson.
2:29:11
It establishes a process for people in custody to obtain wigs, hair extensions, chest binders, tucking undergarments, prosthetics, or other similar items, or medical devices that are used by individuals to affirm their self determined gender identity.
2:29:28
What is the current process that would enable a person in custody to utilize a medical device?
Maxima Rodas
2:29:36
Sure.
2:29:37
So I
Bipin Subedi
2:29:37
can take that.
2:29:38
So on admission, CHS, ask every patient about their gender identity.
2:29:44
And with that information, then provides education, how do you access services both within CHS and DOC.
2:29:50
In CHS, that includes medical treatment such as or therapies such as they, so hormone therapy as well as access to any medical devices if needed.
2:30:00
And then we treat and prescribe as you would any other intervention that we manage.
2:30:07
In addition, we also provide the contact information for our gender related services team.
2:30:15
So we not only can make a referral, but also give the patient the contact information to reach out if they would like supports.
2:30:21
And then the gender related services team also proactively reaches out the patients who are receiving treatment to coordinate and ensure that they receive care.
2:30:30
Let
Althea Stevens
2:30:37
me see a barrier.
2:30:38
Okay.
Sandy Nurse
2:30:39
I was just, like, quickly reviewing the testimony because I there was so much sad that I couldn't remember exactly what your what the objections to that bill were.
2:30:49
Would you mind me remind me what and your feedback to intro 1027 is?
2:30:56
In a in a concise way, just like the top lines.
Valerie Greisokh
2:30:59
Good afternoon.
2:31:01
Speaker nurse.
2:31:02
I'm I'm Valerie Graysock.
2:31:03
I'm assistant commissioner within the Division of Programs And Community Partnerships.
2:31:08
We are fully committed to ensuring that TGNBI individuals in our care are treated with dignity and respect and that they receive the services and items that are gender affirming.
2:31:22
So currently, we make sure that any TGNBI individual in our care has access to gender forming toiletries, clothing that are aligned to their gender identity.
2:31:33
We also work closely with CHS, so make sure they have access to medical devices when needed.
2:31:40
We are committed to growing that list of gender affirming items, but we have to ensure that we do so safely.
2:31:47
And so for any item that becomes permissible within our facility, we review those items for security.
2:31:55
There are certain items, for example, that are mentioned in legislation like Wigs.
2:32:00
They're currently not permitted for any individual in our care.
2:32:04
So while we support the intent of the legislation, we would have to work out some of the specifics.
Sandy Nurse
2:32:10
If someone has a and this might be a silly question, but if someone, for example, has a loss of hair due to cancer treatment.
2:32:18
Are they allowed to utilize a wig?
Valerie Greisokh
2:32:21
So currently, no individual in our care is allowed to have a wig.
2:32:25
That's not something that's commonly available in Correctional Institution for different reasons.
2:32:31
1, it could be used from contraband.
2:32:33
It could be used to alter someone's appearance, which could potentially facilitate in this cape.
2:32:39
So a wig is not something that's permissible to anyone.
2:32:43
In our care.
2:32:44
It's not commonly available in correctional institutions.
2:32:47
But I do want to emphasize that we've grown this list considerably, a list of gender affirming items in recent years.
2:32:53
We recently introduced chest binders for individuals who like to present more traditionally masculine, and we continue to explore additional items as long as we can ensure that they don't present any safety concerns.
