Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Experts Highlight Med Schools' Failure To Teach LGBTQ+ Care
NBC News: Med Schools Still Aren’t Teaching Enough On LGBTQ Health Care
As an increasing proportion of Americans identify as LGBTQ, leaders in sexual and gender minority health care say that the nation’s medical schools are largely failing to adequately prepare the next generation of doctors to properly care for this population. The need is critical, according to experts in medical education and LGBTQ care. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer people, as stigmatized minorities, often have difficulty accessing health care that properly addresses their health concerns, that is sensitive to their sexual and gender identities and that is not flat-out discriminatory, researchers have found. (Ryan, 6/23)
More on LGBTQ+ health —
Houston Chronicle: Report: Former Texas Health Leader Was Member Of Doctor Group That Targets Trans Care
A Texas health commissioner who retired last year was part of a small group of conservative doctors that uses questionable science to support crackdowns on abortion access and transgender care, according to documents obtained by the Washington Post. Dr. John Hellerstedt led the Texas Department of State Health Services from 2016 to 2022, overseeing public health programs and guiding the agency through a Zika virus scare and the COVID-19 pandemic. (Gill, 6/23)
The Hill: Christie Knocks Transgender Health Care Bans On Campaign Trail: ‘It’s More Of A Parent’s Decision’
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R) this week said he opposes state laws that ban gender-affirming health care for transgender young people, distancing himself from other Republicans on what is already shaping up to be a key issue in the race for the White House in 2024. (Migdon, 6/23)
AP: Kansas' Attorney General Is Moving To Block Trans People From Changing Their Birth Certificates
Transgender people born in Kansas could be prevented from changing their birth certificates to reflect their gender identities if the state’s conservative Republican attorney general is successful with a legal move he launched late Friday. Attorney General Kris Kobach filed a request in federal court asking a judge to end a requirement for Kansas to allow transgender people to change their birth certificates. He is not seeking to undo past changes, only prevent them going forward. (Hanna, 6/25)
Detroit Free Press: LGBTQ+ Health Initiative Setting Up New Clinic In Hazel Park
A new health equity initiative is aimed at making sure that individuals in the LGBTQ+ community receive the care and service they deserve, in Oakland County and beyond. The initiative, called the "Driving Health Equity Campaign," is part of Corktown Health's new project focused on expanding resources for the LGBTQ+ community. Corktown Health, started in Detroit in 2017, is Michigan's first nonprofit medical facility with an emphasis on health disparities amongst LGBTQ+ people. The initiative seeks to raise $8 million, $3.2 million of which has already been secured, to close such health disparities. (Beck, 6/23)
