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Children's Hospital LA reverses course on youth gender care after Trump order
Protesters brave the rain outside the Children's Hospital L.A. earlier this month.
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After weeks of protests and an investigation from the state, the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles said on Friday it was reversing course and would resume offering hormone therapy for new patients under 19.
The backstory
Following an executive order from President Donald Trump last month that targeted transition-related care for people under 19, the hospital stopped taking in new patients for gender-affirming hormone therapy — a pause that lasted about two weeks.
What the hospital said
"CHLA is lifting its pause on the initiation of new hormonal therapies for patients seeking gender-affirming care, effective immediately," the hospital said in a statement to LAist. "CHLA had briefly paused beginning these therapies to allow time to assess the potential impact of recent federal policy changes."
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Why this matters
The hospital’s Center for Transyouth Health and Development is the largest clinic treating transgender youth in the country, as well as a leader in clinical research for trans youth.
What changed
Two court rulings blocked parts of Trump’s executive order from taking effect. The hospital also said it had received a commitment from California Attorney General Rob Bonta to protect CHLA and its patients.
What does the attorney general's office say?
Bonta said his office would stand by CHLA.
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"While the Trump Administration attempts to bully and intimidate through its threats to withhold critical federal funding, California remains firm it its commitment to uphold the dignity and rights of all who call our state home. That’s why we’re in court today fighting to unfreeze federal funding, including Medicaid," Bonta said in a statement to LAist.
Bonta also said he co-led a coalition of 18 state attorneys general in supporting legal action against the Trump administration's order targeting transgender youth: "Healthcare decisions, including gender-affirming care, should be made by patients, families and doctors, free from political interference," Bonta said in an announcement on the state's website.
He added that he was committed to fighting "the federal government’s unlawful, hate-mongering attempts to strip away the right to access gender-affirming care."
How we got here
The hospital's pause on hormone therapy for new patients came after the Trump administration said it would not fund transition-related healthcare. This put CHLA and other hospitals in a legal gray area while they faced pushback from other medical professionals, LGBTQ advocates and city officials.
On Friday, CHLA said the pause was needed to assess the situation.
"As the largest pediatric safety net provider in California, with over 70% of our patients insured through Medicaid, CHLA must carefully consider the implications of state and federal policies on our ability to provide care to our patients," CHLA said.
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Other medical services at CHLA
CHLA had stopped performing gender-affirming surgeries to youth under 19 before Trump’s executive order, and those services are still on pause. The hospital does still offer them once patients turn 19.
Updated February 24, 2025 at 12:20 PM PST
This story was updated to include a comment from California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
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