As North Dakota health care providers, we oppose legislation that would forbid health care professionals from providing gender-related care to our transgender young people. North Dakota needs to be a state where parents and families are free to pursue the best possible health care for our youth. As providers, we recognize the seriousness of gender dysphoria. Treating this condition improves functioning and saves lives. To ignore these needs would constitute medical neglect.
We use well-established best practices and ethical guidelines based on decades of scientific research in transgender care. We receive guidance from multiple professional sources including the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Psychological Association, the Endocrine Society, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the World Professional Association of Transgender Health. This evidenced-based care needs no legislative action.
Health care professionals who provide gender care do more than just serve transgender youth. We are diabetes providers, mental health providers, pediatricians and more. If this ban on transgender youth care goes into effect, providers will consider leaving our state, decreasing access to care for everyone.
When providing this care, we see things like a student going from barely being able to raise their hand in class to competing on the debate team. We see kids finding themselves and thriving. This care, when medically appropriate, helps kids to be safe, happy and healthy.
Please trust us, as medically trained and licensed health care providers. We urge our lawmakers to vote “No” on HB1254.
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Other names attached to this letter were the following:
Abigail Burkett Vetter, DNP, APRN, CPNP-AC/PC
Alana Semchenko PsyD
Alyssa Weber, PsyD
Amanda Blake, LCSW
Amanda Dahl, M.D.
Amanda Lynn Hinrichs, RN
Amanda Storey, PsyD
Amy Ochsendorf, PsyD, LP
Amy Oksa, M.D.
Ana Luz Pagan Jaramillo, M.D.
Ana Tracey Morgan-Harris, M.D.
Ana Tobiasz, M.D.
Andra Wheeler, MS, LPCC, LPC
Anika Mundal, LPC, LAPC
Angela Stephens, M.D.
Anna Schimmelpfennig, Ph.D. LP
Anna Miller, OD
Annabel Jiran, medical student
Annette Vazquez, LPC
Anthony Marucco, LCSW
Arveity Setty, M.D.
Ashley Limesand, LAPC, NCC
Audrey McMacken, M.D., FACOG
Austen McFarren, LPCC
Barbara K Stanton, Ph.D., LPCC Brian Gale, DPM, FACFAS
Brandi Hoffart, MSIV; Brandon Meyer, M.D., FAAP
Brennan Forward, M.D.
Brianne Huber, M.D., MPH
Brianne M. Marion, PsyD, LP, SEP
Brenda J. King, Ph.D., LP
Caitlin Hemquist, APRN, CPNP-PC
Caitlin Pollestad, Ph.D., LP, CST
Calsey Mischel, M.D.
Carole Halone LICSW, LCSW
Carrie Brower-Breitwieser, Ph.D., BCBA-D
Chase Gauthier, medical student
Cheryl A. Hysjulien, Psy
Cheryl Smith, LCSW, MSW
Chris Bietz, M.S., LPC, LPCC
Cody Baxter, PA-C
Cody Riggle, MS-IV medical student
Covey Wong, B.S. MS3
Chris Tiongson, M.D.
Danial S. Sturgill, Ph.D.
David Newman, M.D.
David Tupa, Ph.D.
Dena Wanner-Perry, PsyD, LP
Della Ann Martinsen, Ph.D., LP
Dena Wanner-Perry, PsyD, LP
Deon Mehring, Ph.D.
Desiree Zielke, Ph.D., LP
Diana Slivensky Ph.D.
Diane Soli, LCSW
Diane Kjelstrup, M.D.
Dorian Dodd, Ph.D., LP
Douglas Griffin, M.D.
Dragos Victor Balf, M.D. FACC FASE
Ebonee Ronningen, MSW, LCSW, LICSW
Elena Raducu, M.D.
Ellen Johnson, MGCS, LCGC
Emily Coler Hanson, LMFT
Emily Sargent, Ph.D., LP
Erica Hofland, M.D.
Erin Haugen, Ph.D., LP, CMPC
Fadel Nammour, M.D.
Gabriela Balf, M.D., MPH
Gail A. Kerver, Ph.D., LP
George W. O'Neill, Ph.D.
Grant Syverson, M.D.
Greg Volk, PsyD
H. Katherine O'Neill, Ph.D.
Hannah Ganzel, medical student
Hannah Pavek, DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC
Hannah Pederson, LPCC
Heather Sandness Nelson, M.D.
Heidi J. Paulson, PsyD, LP
Heidi Selzler-Echola, APRN
Jacinta Klindworth, M.D., FAAFP
Jacqueline Hassett, LMSW
Jan Witte-Bakken, Ph.D., licensed psychologist
Jane D Winston, M.D.
Jason Myrmoe, M.D.
Jean Marie McGowan, M.D., NCMP, FACP
Jeannie Wohl, RN
Jeffrey E. Hostetter, M.D., MS, FAAFP
Jenna Johnson, LPCC-S
Jennifer M Garaas, Ph.D.
Jessica McLaughlin, M.D.
Jessica Gomez, LBSW, LSW
Jessica A. H. Jones, Ph.D., LP
Joan Connell, M.D. MPH
Johanna Askegard, M.D.
Jon Dangerfield, M.D.
John Campbell, Ph.D., LP
John A Lyon, MSW, LICSW
Jon Ulven, Ph.D., licensed psychologist
Jordan John Barth, M.D.
Josalyn Grueneich, APRN
Joseph Miller, Ph.D., LP
Joseph R Wood, B.A.
Julie Dokken, LPCC
Julijana Nevland, Ph.D., LP
Justin Schafer, MS4
Kaleigh Nelles, M.D.
Kathryn Ann Dahlstrom, LMFT, IMH-E
Kathryn Davis Tidd, MSW, LICSW
Kathy Blohm, Ph.D.
Katie Figuerres, LPC, LPCC
Kara Kniert, DNP, APRN, FNP-C
Kari Casas. M.D.
Kasey Johnson, DO, MA
Katelyn Mickelson, PsyD, LP
Katie Krueger, LCSW
Katie Logan, RN
Kayla Marie Bowers, APRN, MSN, FNP-C
Keiran Vitek, LICSW, MSW
Kim T. LaHaise, Ph.D.
Kishan Patel, M.D.
Kirsten Bokinskie, B.A., MS4
Kristin Gray, M.D.
Kristina Rauser-Foltz, M.D.
Lauren Schaefer, Ph.D., LP
Laura Schield, M.D., Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
LeAnn Lloyd, LMSW
Libby Wirth, licensed pharmacy intern
Lisa M Davies, RN
Lisa Kozel, M.D.
Lisa Kremer, LBSW
Lisa Schock, M.D.
Lucy Mazaheri, MS, LCGC
Luis Casas, M.D.
Margo Ruth Norton, Ph.D.
Mallory Skorheim, DO
Marinda Kurpius-Brock, M.Ed., LPCC
Mario C. Rivera Bernuy, M.D.
Mary Ann Donaldson, LCSW
Mary L Rymanowski, MSW, LICSW
Mayson Bedient, DO
Megan Miller-Pankratz, M.D.
Meghann Reardon, CGC
Michael Burson MSW, LCSW, LICSW
Michelle Jorgensen, MD
Misty Anderson, DO FACP
Molly C. Linn, DO
Naomi Tabassum, MS, LPCC
Natalie Dvorak, MD
Natalie Rixen, MPH
Neva Francis RN, BSN
Nicholas Adams, M.D.
Nicole Cross Hillman, Psy.D. LP
Noelle Berg, PA-C
Parker Rosenau, M.D., medical student
Parveen Wahab, M.D.
Peggy Roemmich, LBSW, LSW, LADC
Peter Van Eerden, M.D., MS, FACOG
Rachel Blumhardt, MEd, LPCC,NCC
Rachel Peterson, M.D.
Rebecca M. Green, Ph.D.
Rebecca Preussler, PsyD, LP
Robert Gregory Kemp, M.D.
Robin Pursifull, FNP-C
Ronni Arensberg, PsyD, LP
Ruth M. Denton-Graber, LPCC, LMFT
Sabha Ganai, M.D., Ph.D., MPH FACS FSSO
Sabina Hyder, M.D.
Samantha Beauchman, Ph.D., LP
Samantha Tupy, Ph.D., LP
Sarah Beth Duncan BSN, RN
Sarah Connell, MS, LPCC
Sarah Noll, LPCC
Sarah Schatz, M.D.
Shannon Bradley, M.D.
Shelby Frye, APRN, PMHNP-BC
Sheryl Holter Vogel, Ph.D., LP
Stacey Hunt, PsyD, LP
Stacey L.S. Wagner, LBSw
Stephanie Antony, M.D.
Stefanie Hanisch, M.D.
Stephanie Jallen, M.D.
Stephanie M. Hanson, M.D. FAAP
Steven Strinden, M.D.
Sue A. Russell, Ph.D.
Susan Spivey, LCSW
Tanya Baity, APRN, CNM
Taylor LaVoi, OTR/L
Taylor Pearson, MSW, LMSW, LGSW
Taylor Smart LPC, LAPC
Tim Moore, MS4
Traci Schlag, LBSW
Tracie Newman, M.D., MPH
Valerie Erickson, DNP, FNP-C
Vanessa Magstadt, M.D.
Vanessa Nelson, M.D.
Winnie Austin, MS, LMFT
Whitney Fear MSN, PMHNP-BC
Wyatt Limke, MS4
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