However, you do have to be an expert in interacting with and caring for this community. You definitely don’t have to be trans or queer to work here. What this offers is not only the understanding of community needs, but also the passion to support the community and the expertise to do so. Kate Steinle: Most of the providers we have right now and most of the employees who work at FOLX are part of the LGBTQIA+ community. Can you tell me a little bit more about your decision to bring on queer and trans providers? Terri Fleming: I love that, because it’s such a unique platform, you're able to build and add based on what the community needs. This could include eating disorders, parental support for trans kids, coming out as trans at school or at work, how to be financially healthy, or second parent adoption for people who are going through family-building. All of the topics of those groups will be based on what we hear from the community and what their needs are. We will soon be launching expert-led support groups and peer support groups. We’ve been building out our referral network for situations where people need in-person care, and we're working to create a training program that will allow healthcare clinics and providers to receive training and become FOLX approved. In the fall we launched virtual care, what we call ‘light primary care,’ which are open consultations to talk with a clinician about anything that comes up. Kate Steinle: A lot of our current focus and most of our memberships are for trans and gender non-binary affirming hormone care. Terri Fleming : As far as your services, can you just tell us about what you offer? I know y'all are expanding fast. What we are creating right now is beneficial to the queer and trans community but we also believe this type of empowering health care can be created for anyone. We want people to see themselves represented in every single part of what we do versus feeling like they are an afterthought or an add on. We also want to create health care that centers the LGBTQIA+ community and prioritizes accessibility. Instead of health care being about sickness, we’re creating affirming spaces where our members can experience joy. Kate Steinle: Our founder has been a disruptor in the health care field for a long time and feels strongly about re-envisioning health care as an avenue for empowerment. Terri Fleming: Tell me a little bit about starting FOLX and what you all currently offer? She believes health care can be a place of radical transformation and empowerment, for both those who access care and for the providers. Kate Steinle MSN, WHNP-BC (she/her) has been a Nurse Practioner, providing sexual and reproductive health care, for more than a decade. Our Senior Health Educator, Terri Fleming MSN, APRN, FNP-BC, AAHIVS (she/her), spoke to FOLX Health’s Chief Clinical Officer about their innovative virtual care model and expanding care for queer and trans folx across the United States. FOLX Health is a leader in providing care specifically for the LGBTQIA+ community and boldly advocating for equity to protect the rights of LGBTQIA+ people across America. At Womanly, we believe in health care for all, and we know that the LGBTQIA+ community has the right to receive the care that they need in a way that is dignified and respects their whole personhood. Virtual care has served as a safe haven for people to access the care they need from the privacy of their safe place. All major health organizations agree that early access to gender affirming care is the safest for the overall wellbeing of people, but regardless of age, access can be limited by where a person lives and the political views of their community. It celebrates diversity in gender identity, and supports people in exploring, defining, and feeling alignment in their gender expression and identity. Gender affirming health care is a lifesaving intervention that is protective for the mental and physical wellbeing of trans, non-binary, and gender expansive people. The legislation ranges from restrictions on sports participation and bathroom use, to receiving gender-affirming health care. Between January and May, 2022, there have been more than 200 anti-LGBTQIA+ bills filed across the United States, with the majority of the bills targeting trans and non-binary people.
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