For their care of gender-diverse youth, the Chatham-Kent Community Health Centers were recently honored by the Alliance for Healthier Communities with its Transformative Change Award.
This award recognizes exceptional examples of the model of health and well-being in action, and honors teams, organizations, programs and services that champion transformative change.
Also recognized was the Windsor Essex Community Health Centre.
Dr. Ian Johnston accepted the award on behalf of weCHC and CKCHC at the Alliance for Healthier Communities conference and gala in Toronto.
“Our clinic provides community-based care to a group that has struggled to access services. It’s an honor to be recognized for this work by the Alliance for Healthier Communities,” he said in a release. “The award highlights the importance of providing accessible care to our gender-diverse youth.”
In partnership with the Windsor Essex Community Health Center and the Chatham-Kent Community Health Centres, the Southwestern Ontario’s Youth Gender Diversity Clinic supports transgender children and youth in the region.
The Youth Gender Diversity Clinic assists those facing inequities by mitigating access-to-care barriers. The affirmative care clinic supports people aged 18 years or younger and is open to the community.
Johnston provides such services as assessment and diagnosis of gender dysphoria; managing co-morbid mental health conditions; initiating hormone blockers and affirming hormone therapy; prescribing hormones or blockers; and monitoring treatment.
Partnership with Teen Health advances affirmative care in a safe, inclusive, welcoming and supportive fashion for 2SLGBTQ+ persons.
Johnston is a general consulting pediatrician with 10 years of experience working with transgender children and youth in Chatham-Kent.
Fax referrals to the attention of CKCHC Pediatric Affirmative Care Clinic at 519-397-5497. Referrals from physicians or nurse practitioners are required, however, the clinic will accept referrals for persons without access to primary care.