SERVICES

Surgical Readiness Assessments

Helping you to access the medical care you need. 

For existing therapy clients and for those simply seeking letters of referral for gender-affirming treatment and procedures, we offer surgical readiness assessments free of charge. We do this pro bono work in alignment with our commitment to dismantling the structural inequalities that present barriers to care for trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming people. 


Our staff clinicians has undergone many hours of continuing education in mental health assessment for gender-affirming surgery, including training in the Gender Affirmative Supportive Surgery Assessment Tool. We practice under the current Standards of Care of the World Professional Association of Transgender Health (WPATH). All of our staff clinicians qualified to complete gender-affirming medical care assessments is a signatory of the GALAP Pledge. 


We do not give medical advice, but we can provide referrals to affirming, competent medical providers. We seek to help our clients feel informed, prepared, and empowered with respect to their gender-affirming medical care.


Our assessments usually take one to two sessions, depending on the surgery you wish to have and the complexity of your situation. 


Please be aware that our clinicians are only able to complete assessments with folks who are physically located in the state(s) in which they are licensed. These include Maryland, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. Please see our individual clinicians’ bio pages for information about where they are licensed. If you will not be located in Maryland, Pennsylvania, or West Virginia during your appointment, please do not schedule an assessment with us. You can check out the GALAP Pledge for providers located in your state.

Before scheduling your assessment:

Before scheduling a surgical readiness assessment with us, please make sure you’ve done as many as possible of the following:


  • Identify the procedure you wish to have (e.g., chest masculinization surgery, orchiectomy, phalloplasty)
  • Identify the surgeon(s) you are considering to complete your procedure
  • Identify whether the surgeon requires a letter (or letters) from a mental health provider in advance of your procedure and/or consultation with them, and what their individual letter requirements are (your surgeon’s website and/or administrative office can usually help with this)
  • Explore the costs you can expect, including whether your desired provider takes your insurance and whether your insurance covers the procedure (your surgeon’s administrative office can often help with this)
  • Learn as much as you can about the procedure you wish to have, including pre- and post-operative care requirements and timelines. Here are some resources we recommend:

         1. Chest Masculinization Surgery

         2. Chest Feminization/Breast Augmentation Surgery

         3. Vaginoplasty

         4. Phalloplasty & Metoidioplasty

         5. Hysterectomy & Oophorectomy


  • If your procedure requires hair removal in advance (usually required for genital surgeries), explore your local options for laser and/or electrolysis, including costs and timeline.

Doing these things in advance of meeting with us will prepare you for an effective, efficient surgery assessment process and will help us to support you in getting the care you need.

Ready to schedule your initial assessment?

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