New York City’s new trans care clinic won’t offer hormone therapy to under-19s
The centre, launching under Zohran Mamdani's administration, will open later this summer at the Corona Sexual Health Clinic in Queens
By Callum Wells
A New York City clinic launching under Zohran Mamdani‘s administration will not provide hormone therapy to trans people under the age of 19.
The centre, which is due to open later this summer at the Corona Sexual Health Clinic in Queens, will offer gender-affirming hormone therapy to adults aged 19 and over at low or no cost, regardless of immigration status.
Plans for the service were discussed during a recent New York City Council budget hearing, where health officials confirmed that people under 19 would not be eligible for treatment through the programme.
Concerns about gender-affirming healthcare for young people in New York are ongoing
The age restriction comes amid ongoing concerns about access to gender-affirming healthcare for young people in New York. Two major healthcare systems in the city – NYU Langone Health and Mount Sinai – have suspended gender-affirming care programmes for minors and have yet to announce when services will resume.
Health commissioner Alister Martin said officials wanted to support trans young people while avoiding actions that could put wider healthcare funding at risk.
“We are committed to this issue and want to make sure we provide the services and resources for youth,” he said.
“I’m talking to parents all the time, and they don’t know where to take their children” – Queens councilmember Tiffany Cabán
Still, “we don’t [want to] expose ourselves to clawbacks from the federal government, which disrupt the rest of the care that we can give.”
Queens councilmember Tiffany Cabán said families were already struggling to find appropriate care.
“I’m talking to parents all the time, and they don’t know where to take their children,” she said.