LGBTQ+ Veteran care
Columbia VA Health Care System promotes the health, welfare, and dignity of all Veterans and their families. We focus on ensuring a safe and welcoming environment when providing you with sensitive and high-quality health care services.
Connect with a care coordinator
Shantel Edmonds Psy.D.
LGBTQ+ Veterans Care Coordinator
VA Columbia South Carolina health care
Phone:
Jessica Jarka
Social Worker
VA Columbia South Carolina health care
Phone:
Services for LGBTQ+ Veterans
- Primary Care
- Whole Health
- Infertility Services
- Affirming Spiritual Care
- Affirming Psychotherapy
- Suicide Prevention Services
- Intimate Partner Violence Services
- Substance and alcohol abuse treatment
- Sexual health assessments, screenings, and treatment
- Mental Health Services, including individual and couples therapy
- Hormone Therapy in limited circumstances
- Mental Health Group Therapy (depression, smoking cessation, substance use, parenting, mindfulness, anger management, insomnia, PTSD, grief, etc.)
- HIV and STI testing and care, including PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) for Veterans at risk for HIV
Suicide Prevention Services
If you are in crisis, PLEASE call the 24-hour Crisis Hotline at 988 and Press option 1 or visit the Veterans Crisis Line.
Relevant VA Policies and Practices
The Columbia VA Health Care System has a number of policies to ensure culturally and clinically competent care for LGBTQ+ Veterans.
Non-discrimination: Our non-discrimination policy prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Visitation: The Columbia VA Health Care System allows for a same-sex partner, family member, friend, or other individual to be present with the patient for emotional support during their stay.
Definition of Family: "Family" may include individual(s) not legally related to the individual. Family members include spouses, domestic partners, and different-sex and same-sex significant others.
Advanced Directives: Patients may designate any person as a decision-maker for care should they become unable to make these decisions. This includes designating a same-sex partner as a surrogate decision-maker. Advanced Directives agents are chosen by the Veteran and do not need to be biologically related.
Documentation in Medical Records: The Columbia VA Health Care System maintains the confidentiality of information about sexual orientation as it does with all other private health information.
Changing Legal Name in Medical Records: Your name in your medical record will reflect your legal name. You have the right to request that your name be updated as appropriate. There are established procedures for changing your legal name. You can contact the VA Privacy Officer to learn more about the process.
Preferred Name: VA has a Preferred Name field available for medical records. Veterans can contact the Enrollment and Eligibility Office to request that the name which you go is entered in the Preferred Name field in your medical record. Once entered by the Enrollment staff, the name will be visible and follow the legal name in your medical record. No documentation is needed to update the Preferred Name field in your medical record.
Pronouns: Your VA provider may not know what pronouns or terms you use. Let providers know the pronouns that you use and how you describe yourself and your partner(s), and they will start to use those words. If they make a mistake, let them know. Your provider wants to help you feel comfortable.
Concerns and/or Complaints: If you feel you are not being provided with compassionate care, we encourage you to make your concerns known. Concerns regarding a specific Service (e.g., Primary Care, Mental Health) should be directed to the contact person for that Service. Contact information for each Service can be easily found on this website through the Services page. You may also discuss any concerns with a Patient Advocate. If you have any questions or concerns that are not about a specific Service or Clinic, you can contact the LGBTQ+ VCC.