Florida's Agency for Health Care Administration is considering denying Medicaid coverage for some medical treatments for transgender people, including puberty blocking medication, hormones and sex-reassignment surgeries.

The Administration has scheduled a hearing to discuss the issue for 3 p.m. on July 8 in Tallahassee. 

This comes after the Florida Department of Health released guidelines on treating gender dysphoria for children and adolescents that advise against social gender transition, hormone therapy or puberty blockers, and gender reassignment surgery. 

Licensed therapist Adam Miller, who specializes in working with LGBTQ+ youth, said there are things parents can do as they try to navigate the direction from the state with their kids.

“Part of what we remind the parents is holding space for your kid is what you do right now," he said. "You get them to an LGBTQ-competent therapist who is competent in these things, and you allow them to figure this out and give them space and time and accept them."

When the Florida Department of Health released the new guidance, Miller took it seriously, but said it is not impacting his ability to talk to his clients about gender identity.

“When someone who wants to transition comes to us, we help make sure that’s what’s actually going on and they are struggling with real gender dysphoria and not depression, anxiety dealing with regular teenage stuff, and finding who they are," he said.

He said if a therapist does recommend physical transition to improve a client’s mental health, a doctor would determine if they agreed and decide whether to prescribe any medication. Allowing teens to try socially transitioning first is safe and reversible, Miller said.

Florida’s guidance, though, specifically recommends against social gender transitioning, saying it "should not be a treatment option for children or adolescents."

Part of the new guidelines from the state describe something Miller said he has done for years.

“Children and adolescents should be provided social support by peers and family and seek counseling from a licensed provider," he said.

He wants people who are struggling to know there are people like him who want to help.

The Florida Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics rejected the State Department of Health’s guidelines, saying appropriate gender-affirming health care can be life-saving for patients experiencing gender dysphoria.

A JAMA study this year focused on the mental health of transgender and non-binary youth found that gender-affirming care, including puberty blockers and hormones, was associated with a 60% drop in moderate or severe depression, and a 73% drop in suicide rates.

Florida released its own guidelines on treating gender dysphoria for children and adolescents in response to the federal government's guidance on gender-affirming care for young people.