Lgbtq+ veteran care | veterans affairs

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CARE WE PROVIDE AT VA SAN DIEGO HEALTH CARE Our LGBTQ+ Veteran care coordinators 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: * Mental health services, including psychological assessments for gender confirming


surgeries and hormone therapy * Creative arts therapies * Hormone therapy * Gender-affirming prosthetics * Testing, counseling, and care for HIV and sexually transmitted infections, 


including post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for Veterans at risk for HIV * Other prevention, screening, wellness, and testing services POLICIES AND


PRACTICES TO KNOW The care coordinator can help you get started with care or with navigating any of these issues. 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. 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. 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. DOCUMENTATION IN MEDICAL RECORDS: VA San Diego maintains the confidentiality of information about sexual orientation, sexual behavior, and gender identity, just like any other


private health information. CHANGING NAME OR SEX IN RECORDS: Your name in your medical record will reflect your legal name. The sex in your medical record should reflect your self-identified


gender. 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.