Gender-Affirming Care Expands Mental Health Support in Ontario

A program offering free, virtual gender-affirming care in northwestern Ontario has enhanced its services to include vital mental health support. The initiative, led by NorWest Community Health Centres (NWCHC) in Thunder Bay, Ontario, has partnered with Foria Clinic to expand access for the region’s 2SLGBTQ+ community. This collaboration, which began just over a year ago, now includes psychotherapy and voice training alongside hormone appointments and surgery referrals.

Foria Clinic emerged in 2023 after changes to provincial funding in 2022 affected the previous Connect-Clinic, which provided virtual support to patients in rural areas. Dr. Kate Greenaway, the clinic’s founder, explained that the new billing structure made it financially unfeasible for physicians to continue providing services under the old model. “We originally launched as a patient pay service in Ontario because we were using nurse practitioners and we could not bill physician services anymore,” stated Greenaway, who serves as the medical director at Foria Clinic.

Despite the clinic’s initial requirement for patients to pay for services, Greenaway recognized the financial barriers many transgender and non-binary individuals face. “We have a population that is underserved medically, also economically marginalized,” she noted. As a result, NWCHC funding now allows Foria Clinic to offer its services at no cost to residents in northwestern Ontario, a significant advantage compared to other regions in the province where patients might pay between $299 and $199 for appointments.

Increased Support Through Virtual Care

The partnership between NWCHC and Foria Clinic is expected to continue until at least March 2026, contingent on future funding. This support aims to bridge critical gaps in care for individuals in geographically isolated areas of northwestern Ontario, where access to healthcare can be limited. Greenaway emphasized the importance of having a dedicated virtual care option for those seeking gender-affirming services. “People feel safe to join the meeting because they know the provider is competent, culturally competent, and trained,” she explained.

According to Statistics Canada, approximately three in ten individuals from the 2SLGBTQ+ community reported their mental health as fair or poor, compared to one in ten non-2SLGBTQ+ individuals. The addition of psychotherapy services at Foria Clinic aims to address these mental health challenges and provide necessary support.

Accessible Care for All

Lisa Long, NWCHC’s manager of allied health and social programs, highlighted the goal of making care accessible and safe for all. “Safety, accessibility, removing barriers to service, that’s what we want to do,” she said. Patients can self-refer to Foria Clinic by visiting their website, where they must provide a northwestern Ontario postal code to access free services.

Dr. Greenaway stressed the significance of gender-affirming care, stating, “Gender-affirming care is life-saving care. We’ve seen the impact it has on people’s lives and how it allows folks to thrive.” The services provided by Foria Clinic are critical for enabling individuals to navigate their transitions while ensuring they do not face discrimination or negative experiences in medical settings.

As NWCHC and Foria Clinic continue to seek new patients in the region, they remain committed to fostering an environment where individuals can receive the support they need without financial burdens.