Connecticut Children’s Medical Center has struck a settlement with the federal government that essentially reverses care for transgender youth, shutting down services for at least 10 years.
Reports CTInsider.com:
Over a year after winding down its care program for transgender youth, Connecticut Children’s Medical Center has agreed to end the program for the next decade as part of the formal agreement with the Trump administration announced in August.
The settlement also states that Connecticut Children’s will pay the federal government $60,000 and allocate $500,000 for patients under 19 to get medical reversal or “detransition” care.
New details of the agreement are emerging after leaders from the state human services committee sent a letter to hospital administration seeking clarification and answers, under threat of subpoena if they failed to comply.
Co-chair state Sen. Matt Lesser said he and state Rep. Jillian Gilchrest met with CCMC administrators earlier this week and received the requested documents. A spokesperson for CCMC said administrators have answered the lawmakers question and declined additional comment.
CCMC is the third hospital to reach a settlement of this kind with the Trump administration, but Lesser said the Hartford-based hospital was the first in a predominantly “blue” state with strong non-discrimination laws. A New York hospital also recently announced its own settlement with the DOJ.
“Connecticut has strong laws, and it’s possible that they’re willing to, you know, roll the dice, and they think it’s easier to break state law than to stand up against the federal administration,” Lesser said. “That’s their calculation, and I think that is maybe true in the short term, but it’s not going to work out for them in the long run.” …
The agreement specifically restricts Connecticut Children’s from administering what they describe as “sex-rejecting therapies,” which include puberty blockers, hormone therapy, pharmaceutical or non-exempted clinical intervention and surgeries, on patients younger than 18. They are also barred from referring patients to third-party gender affirming care providers. The hospital would still be allowed to offer mental health counseling and make behavioral referrals to treat patients experiencing gender dysphoria.