LGBTQ+ Veteran care
VA Chicago health care employees receive training in clinical care that is responsive to the unique needs of LGBTQ+ Veterans. Our trained LGBTQ+ Program Coordinator is fully equipped to support the health, welfare, and dignity of you and your family.
Connect with the program coordinator
Becky Powers LCSW (she/her/hers)
LGBTQ+ Program Coordinator
VA Chicago health care
Phone:
Email: Rebecca.Powers@va.gov
Care we provide at VA Chicago health care
Our LGBTQ+ Program Coordinator can answer your questions, advocate for your right to quality care, handle complaints or concerns you have about your care, and help you get started with any of our services for LGBTQ+ Veterans. These include:
- LGBTQ+ Groups
- Trained mental health providers
- Testing, counseling, and care for HIV and sexually transmitted infections, including post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for Veterans at risk for HIV
- Other prevention, screening, wellness, and testing services
- Gender affirming care
- Hormone therapy
- Fertility preservation
- Gender affirming primary care
- All pre and post-op care
- Readiness evaluations for surgery
- Voice training
- Hair removal
- Gender affirming prosthetic items
- Updated gender markers in the medical record
Policies and practices to know
The care coordinator can help you get started with care or with navigating any of these issues.
Visitation: A same-sex partner, family member, friend, or other individual can be present with the patient for emotional support during the course of the patient's stay.
Definition of family: "Family" may include individual(s) not legally related to the individual. Family members include spouses, domestic partners, different-sex and same-sex significant others.
Advance directives: Veterans may designate any person as a decision-maker for care if they won't be able to make these decisions themselves. This includes same-sex partners. Advance directive agents are chosen by the Veteran and do not need to be biologically related.
Documentation in medical records: VA Chicago maintains the confidentiality of information about sexual orientation, sexual behavior, and gender identity, just like any other private health information.
Preferred name and gender identity: VA now permits Veterans to change their preferred name and gender identity without going through the Privacy Office. While the LGBTQ+ Program Coordinator can still assist with getting legal name and birth sex changed through the Privacy Office, Veterans have the right to determine how they are addressed at the VA without legal changes. Learn more about changing your preferred name and gender identity here: VHA LGBTQ+ Health Program - FAQ