Manitoba funding for transition services will save lives, says transgender man

The Manitoba government is boosting funding and support care for transgender individuals, a move that many in the transgender community say will save lives.

The province announced Friday it is expanding the number of recognized practitioners who conduct patient assessments for gender dysphoria and increasing funding for the Transgender Health Program at Klinic Community Health Centre.

Owen Campbell began his transition about 10 years ago. In that time,he said he lost friends who struggled with their identities to suicide.

Campbell said having surgery was life-changing for him, and the new funding will help ensure others considering transitioning will be taken care of.

"To get surgery, and have their bodies come in line with everything else, saves a life every day," said Campbell.

"It makes life more comfortable in many ways, not just feeling that your body and mind are more in line with everyone else, just physically more comfortable."

Evolution of services, rights

The announcement comes in the middle of Pride week celebrations in Winnipeg. This year's theme is "evolution."

"Homosexuality was only decriminalized in 1969, which wasn't that long ago," said Jonathan Niemczak, the president of Pride Winnipeg. "We want to show folks the evolution of rights and what we've gained over the years.

Chest masculinization surgery has also been added as an insured service under the provincial health insurance plan, said Healthy Living Minister Deanne Crothers.

"People who don't identify with their biological sex and strongly identify with the opposite gender need timely access to quality care and services to help them transition," said Crothers.

"We're increasing access to care, providing more funding and adding coverage to make it easier for people going through the gender transition process."

The province is increasing the number of clinicians, from two to five, who can provide patient assessments of gender dysphoria. That establishes eligibility for insured transgender services for people 17 years old or younger.

Crothers said the government is also partnering with the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WRHA) to provide an additional $150,000 in funding to the Transgender Health Program at Klinic Community Health Centre, so people can access care sooner.

More services will save lives

It currently takes at least six months to get into the program just to talk about transitioning with a counsellor.

Nicole Chammartin, the executive director for Klinic, said it is critical people considering transitioning get services quickly. The longer candidates wait, the more at risk they are for developing mental health issues, Chammartin said.

"The research demonstrates that the time between somebody announcing their change or identifying and actually getting services is a critical period," said Chammartin.

"There's new research [that] shows it's a doubling of risk for suicide, so we know we need to be able to service people quickly when they are ready to start engaging in a process for change."

Chammartin said the process currently hits a bottleneck when it comes to seeing a psychologist, which is required for those wanting to undergo gender reassignment surgery. Ideally, the funding boost will lead to more psychologists on staff and faster service.

Manitoba program unique in Canada

The current program in Manitoba was established in 2010 and remains one of only a few of its kind in Canada, Chammartin said, adding it has helped approximately 377 individuals since that time, including 294 currently active clients.

"Expanding care at Klinic to better serve the transgender community is an important step forward," said Lori Lamont, interim CEO at the WRHA.

"This additional contribution to Klinic and the expansion of services to transgender clients helps us offer the most appropriate care needed during the gender transition process in a more comprehensive and timely way."

Already, the province provides coverage for gender transition-related surgeries including orchidectomies (removal of testicles), penectomies (removal of the penis), vagioplasties (reconstruction of the vagina), mastectomies (removal of breast tissue), hysterectomies (removal of the uterus) and oophorectomies (removal of the ovaries).