LGBTQ+ Veteran care
VA Orlando health care employees receive training in clinical care that is responsive to the unique needs of LGBTQ+ Veterans. Our trained LGBTQ+ Veteran care coordinators are fully equipped to support the health, welfare, and dignity of you and your family. LGBTQ+ Veteran care services are available at many of our locations at VA Orlando Healthcare System. Please connect with a care coordinator to learn more.
Care we provide at the Orlando VA
Our LGBTQ+ Veteran Care 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.
Our services include:
- Hormone treatment, prosthetics, and speech therapy
- Substance use/alcohol treatment
- Tobacco use treatment
- Treatment and prevention of sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) for Veterans at risk for HIV
- Intimate partner violence reduction and treatment of after effects
- Military sexual trauma screening and treatment of after effects
- Suicide prevention services
- Whole Health
- Cancer screening, prevention and treatment
- Virtual Mental Health Care: Veterans can connect with a VA mental health provider through a computer or mobile device from the comfort of their homes or at their nearest VA health facility
- Reproductive health services, including contraception, family building, specialty gynecology care, pregnancy care, menopause management
- Infertility: VA is committed to helping Veterans navigate challenges that may arise from issues with fertility and the conception of a child
More information and resources can be found at VHA LGBTQ+ Health Program.
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.