TRUE Center for Gender Diversity

About the TRUE Center

Understanding and embracing one’s gender identity is an important journey for children, adolescents and their families. At the TRUE Center for Gender Diversity, we’re here to support you and your family along the journey, whatever that may be. This is a safe space.

TRUE stands for Trust, Respect, Understand, Emerge.

At Children’s Hospital Colorado, we believe that all children and adolescents, including those who are transgender and gender-diverse, should be able to access the care and support they need in order to live healthy lives.

We embrace you for who you are and will support you and your family in becoming who you’ve been all along: your true self.

Our multidisciplinary care team includes experts across multiple fields. We work with departments within Children’s Colorado as well as the community to provide relevant specialty services, expertise and advice to support transgender and gender-diverse children and adolescents.

The care we provide at the TRUE Center

We provide a family-centered model of care that supports transgender and gender-diverse children and adolescents. This model is a best-practice standard of care grounded in scientific evidence. Research shows that access to supportive healthcare has positive effects on the mental and physical health of transgender and gender-diverse patients and their families.

We treat each patient as the unique individual they are because gender-affirming care does not look the same for everyone. That means we work together with you and your family to meet your needs and goals. We get to know you and your family during your behavioral health and medical visits and will discuss the factors that impact your care.

These include:

• Age
• Stage of puberty
• Treatment goals
• Overall physical and emotional health
• Support system

Specialty services

You can expect trusted expertise while seeking any of the following services at the TRUE Center:

• Behavioral health services: Exploring and embracing your gender identity can be an emotional process. Our compassionate behavioral health team will support you on this journey and help you realize your goals.
• Nutrition services: Our registered dietitians understand the unique struggles some transgender and gender-diverse children and adolescents have with nutrition, weight, disordered eating or the challenges of mindful eating. We offer one-on-one consultation and group classes to help you be your healthiest self.
• Puberty-delaying treatments: These medicines can postpone puberty changes that do not align with one’s gender identity. When appropriate, puberty delaying treatments are safely prescribed and monitored by our expert clinicians.
• Hormone therapy: These medications allow transgender and gender-diverse patients to undergo the physical puberty changes that align with their gender identity. Our team of professionals will help you and your family make the most informed decision about whether this treatment is right for you. 
• Referral to support groups: You are unique, but you are not alone. There are lots of people like you, and lots of families like yours. We work with community resources for transgender and gender-diverse children, adolescents and families and can connect you to those supports. 
• Additional referrals:  Is it important to you that your government documents (legal name, passport and driver’s license) match the way you show up in the world? We can help you navigate the process and understand what’s required. We can also refer you to additional services at your request within Children’s Colorado as well as a variety of other community resources.

Why choose us?

Our multidisciplinary care team offers whole-patient support for your unique gender identity with a family-centered approach. We also recognize that medical care is just one part of your life. That’s why our program includes an array of experts to assist with matters from the physical and the emotional to the spiritual.

We believe transgender and gender-diverse children and adolescents need a stable support system as they navigate their journey, which is why we offer support not only for our patients, but for parents and families as well.

Trust

Trust is key to any relationship, and that’s exactly what we’ll build. We’ll partner with you to be an ally, an advocate and a part of your community. We’ll help coordinate your care with your therapist or your school where it’s appropriate and helpful, and give you the information you need to make informed decisions.

Respect

Our relationship is about respect. That’s why we design an individual care plan for every patient, based on your unique gender expression and your personal hopes and needs. We’ll appreciate and recognize your identity, affirmed name and pronouns.

Understand

We don’t believe in a one-size-fits-all approach.  You’re you, and that’s why you’re here. Whether you identify as transgender, non-binary, gender-fluid, gender-expansive or something all your own, we’ll listen and make every effort to understand your situation and help you and your family achieve your goals.

Emerge

Just as you’re emerging into your authentic self, gender-affirming medical care is a growing science.  As leaders in the care we provide, we’re also contributing to the academic research that informs evidence-based medicine. We are focused on you for the here and now, with an eye toward the future of gender-affirming care.    

Contact the TRUE Center

We accept referrals, consultations and questions. You can reach the TRUE Center for Gender Diversity at 720-777-8783 or by email.