Lgbtq+ veteran care | veterans affairs

CARE WE PROVIDE AT VA PORTLAND HEALTH CARE Our LGBTQ+ Veteran care coordinator can answer your questions, advocate for your right to quality care, handle complaints or concerns you have

about your care, and help you get started with any of our services for LGBTQ+ Veterans. These include: ------------------------- PRIMARY CARE SERVICES Primary Care Teams are the first place

to start when seeking care at the VA. Your Primary Care Provider can provide: * Hormone therapy will be continued for Veterans that have been prescribed hormones by VA or DoD since March 17,

2025. * Testing, counseling, and care for HIV and sexually transmitted infections, including PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) for Veterans at risk for HIV

* Health Care Information and Resources * Other prevention, screening, wellness, and testing services ------------------------- MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES * Support Groups * LGBTQ+ Veteran

Support Group (Wednesday Group) * LGBTQ+ Veteran Support Group (Thursday Group) * Transgender Women’s Support Group * Gender Diverse Support Group ------------------------- POLICIES AND

PRACTICES TO KNOW The LGBTQ+ Veteran Care Coordinator can help you get started with care or with navigating any of these issues. ADVANCE DIRECTIVES: Veterans may designate any person as a

decision-maker for care if they won't be able to make these decisions themselves. This includes same-sex partners. Advance directive agents are chosen by the Veteran and do not need to

be biologically related. CHANGING NAME, SEX, OR GENDER IDENTITY IN RECORDS:  Your name in your medical record will reflect your legal name. However, the VA is also able to include the name

you go by in parenthesis next to your legal name. You have the right to request that your name and sex are updated as appropriate. There are established procedures for changing your name and

sex with the VA Privacy Officer. DEFINITION OF FAMILY: "Family" may include individual(s) not legally related to the individual. Family members include spouses, domestic partners,

different-sex and same-sex significant others. DOCUMENTATION IN MEDICAL RECORDS: We maintain the confidentiality of information about sexual orientation, sexual behavior, and gender

identity, just like any other private health information. VISITATION: A same-sex partner, family member, friend, or other individual can be present with the patient for emotional support

during the course of the patient's stay. -------------------------