The pediatric and adolescent team at The Keith Haring Youth Gender Center is especially qualified to provide gender-affirming care for young people. We provide individualized, interdisciplinary care aimed at supporting the physical and emotional health of youth up to the age of 22.

Adolescent Medicine and Pediatric Endocrinology

Our adolescent medicine and pediatric endocrinology specialists provide both primary medical care and gender-affirming specialty care for transgender and gender diverse youth. Pediatric endocrinologists provide gender-affirming care for youth, including pubertal assessment, pubertal blockade with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonists (GnRHa), and gender-affirming hormone therapy. Health care choices are made collaboratively by the patient, the patient’s family, and the multidisciplinary treatment team. 

Adolescent and Pediatric Mental Health

Entry into our program begins with a comprehensive consultation with a mental health provider who specializes in gender-affirming care. This consultation can include the following:

• Evaluation of gender dysphoria, co-occurring mental health issues and readiness for specific gender-affirming medical interventions;
• Education and guidance for patients, along with their families;
• Referrals to medical care, ongoing mental health support, and community resources, as needed. 

We do not provide ongoing or long-term mental health support. However, we can provide information regarding gender-affirming mental health providers in the community. 

Fertility Preservation

We prioritize fertility counseling and fertility preservation. Specialists in behavioral health, endocrinology, and fertility preservation medicine work as a team to provide counseling on the impact of gender-affirming treatments on future fertility, as well as fertility preservation options prior to the initiation of GnRHa and gender-affirming treatment. Interested patients and parents can consult concurrently with the pediatric fertility preservation team to avoid delays in gender-affirming treatment due to the fertility preservation process. The Center’s interdisciplinary team works together to optimize the chances that a patient will succeed in fertility preservation.

The Mount Sinai Center for Transgender Medicine and Surgery proudly recognizes The Keith Haring Youth Gender Center, a meaningful partnership that enables us to provide supportive youth services and care.