AKRON (News Talk 1480 WHBC) – Akron Children’s Hospital is providing services to transgender patients and LGBTQ youth. Through its new Center for Gender Affirming Medicine, patients ages seven and up who identify as transgender or LGBTQ will have access to a multidisciplinary team which includes gender affirming medical providers, a social worker, mental health therapist, a nurse coordinator and an endocrinologist.

Services such as Pubertal Suppression, Mental health care coordination, Gender-affirming hormones, checkups and supportive care for the patients and their families will be available.

The center’s medical director is Dr. Crystal Cole says transgender youths are at higher risk of suicide and homelessness. Providing transgender patients with a supportive environment and medical care tailored to their needs is one way to help these youths during a crucial time in their physical and mental health development, she added.