With access to gender-affirming care being restricted or banned in some states around the country, some people are traveling to Colorado for care.
DENVER — With access to gender-affirming care being restricted or banned in some states around the country, some people are now traveling to Colorado for care.
To keep up with demand, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains is expanding gender-affirming care into Colorado Springs.
“You know, we weren’t sure in Colorado Springs if there would be a large demand but in less than two weeks, we started to see about 30 patients which is great, which really demonstrates the demand there,” said Adrienne Mansanares, CEO and president of Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains.
Mansanares said Colorado Springs is the second Planned Parenthood location in the state that’s started offering hormone therapy services this year. Their Salida clinic expanded to include gender-affirming care in January.
Mansanares said the need for this care is growing. “I will say that we are expecting an even larger demand of folks that are seeking gender-affirming hormonal therapy,” Mansanares said. “We’re envisioning about 4,500 people in our region getting that care every year. I’m so proud of that.”
Many of the people coming in for gender-affirming care are Coloradans.
Others travel to access this care. Unlike abortion care where someone can make a single trip to Colorado for care, receiving hormonal therapy care requires multiple visits, which isn’t always easy.
“So they’re up and leaving their home communities, it’s very expensive, it’s time-consuming and coming back into Colorado for that care on a regular basis,” Mansanares said.
He said patients are saving up to make the trip from Wyoming, Texas and even Arizona. In some cases, some people are even moving here to Colorado because their home states are limiting or banning the care.
Mansanares said they’re happy to care for those coming through their doors but said it’s frustrating that people are now unable to access care in their own communities.
“It is a privilege to be able to provide care to folks who need it, especially the kind of care that can be seen as divisive or it’s being under attack,” Mansanares said. “To normalize that, to just let people know that they’re welcome, that this is healthcare and that we’ve got you covered is a wonderful feeling.”
Planned Parenthood said they’re expecting a 20% increase in new patients this year specifically for gender-affirming care.
Currently, the clinic offers hormonal therapy in Salida, Denver, Colorado Springs and online but Mansanares said they’re considering expanding to more locations if needed.
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