There are some new offerings as part of our Trans*itions health and wellness program that we could not be more excited to share with you! As you’re likely already aware, we offer access to renowned physician, Dr. Vierregger, for hormone replacement therapy. As a compliment to this service, we have teamed up with Select Staffing to offer our Trans* clients job training workshops in English and Spanish. We are also working with Select Staffing’s clients to provide Trans* sensitivity training to increase the number of affirming work places.

Also new to Trans*itions is our Legal Name Change Clinic! Longtime supporter, Steven Hicklin, has teamed up with the LGBTQ Center OC in an official capacity to offer guidance on the process for legally changing your name.

Where do homeless and housing insecure Trans* folk sleep? Shelters and crisis housing are often gender-specific or family-oriented. There are currently no beds in Orange County for Transgender individuals. We are setting out to change that. So far, we have established a partnership with a facility that provides warm meals and showers to our homeless Trans* clients. LGBTQ Center OC has provided cultural competency training to additional partners to help them better serve Trans* clients. This has resulted in the placement of several in Section 8 housing – a far better long-term solution to housing insecurity.

As a result of the tremendous work with local police departments and the OC Sherriff’s Department, the Center OC has been consulted several times outside of the policing partnership meetings. Recently, we were approached to develop guidelines and conduct a sensitivity training for a local police department to ensure a Trans* employee was able to transition safely and happily, while remaining in their position.