Stanford
Medical Services Vaden Health Services
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Frequently Asked Questions: LGBTQIA+ Health at Stanford

Access an FAQ compiled by our staff to help answer questions for members of Stanford's communities, including information on gender-affirming care.

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LGBTQIA+ Health at Stanford FAQ

Medical records are strictly confidential. By law, your parents, friends, professors, and school officials do not have access to them. Insurance companies have access to records only if you are using insurance to pay for your health care, which is not required for brief therapy. Records can be released only with your written consent or by court order.

There can be some exceptions to the above circumstances, and sometimes students who have insurance through their parents, or have parents who are quite involved in their lives, have questions. If you have questions or concerns regarding these issues, you can discuss what is written in the medical record with your practitioner at the time of your visit.

All Weiland clinicians are trained to support queer, trans, and gender non-conforming individuals. CAPS therapists may also have specialized training in gender and sexuality. During your CAPS Connects appointment, inform the clinician if you prefer a therapist with this expertise, which can be identified by an asterisk next to their name on the Staff Page profile.

You can also sign up for Weiland Connects, one-time, 30-minute sessions where you can confidentially discuss therapy and resources with a gender and sexuality-affirming clinician. These sessions can be booked via the Vaden Patient Portal or by emailing Weiland directly here.

Most health care providers at Vaden consider themselves generalists in regard to their training rather than labeling themselves with a specialty. Transgender and gender-expansive students seeking transition-related care should use the VadenPatientPortal online booking system and indicate that the appointment topic is “transgender health care” to automatically be given appointment options with specialized clinicians. In addition, Dr. Robyn Tepper, Vaden Medical Services Director,  is currently participating in a drop-in gender-and sexuality consultation group. She can help if you are experiencing difficulty accessing LGBTQIA+ sensitive health care on campus. Contact Robyn via email here or by telephone at 650.723.0932.

You can peruse this database that a Weiland Health Associate created to help you find an affirming therapist. You may contact your insurance provider and inquire as to whether or not they have LGBTQIA+ specialists in their network. You can also call CAPS at 650.723.3785 and ask for a referral. Clinicians that you reach at CAPS during CAPS Connects will make every effort to match you with an LGBTQIA+ specialist within your insurance network and will assist you with any questions/concerns you may encounter during this referral process.

Coming out can be a complex, exciting, and sometimes stressful process. Vaden providers are committed to providing LGBTQIA+ identified and questioning Stanford students with the highest level of care. Individual brief counseling services at CAPS and Weiland are entirely confidential and free of charge. In addition, the Weiland Health Initiative offers drop-in counseling hours specifically for LGBTQIA+ identified students with clinicians who have extensive experience and comfort speaking with students about coming out-related topics. You can schedule yourself by going online to VadenPatientPortal or by emailing Weiland Health Initiative here.

The Queer Resource Center at QSpot offers an extensive library of books, magazines, and DVDs. You are welcome to stop by or make an appointment with one of the professional or student staff members. Visit QSR’s website for a list of organizations, programs, email lists, and calendar of events.

The Weiland Health Initiative is also a great resource for students in the coming out process. Visit the Weiland website for details or email us here to set up an appointment. You also can visit Vaden’s Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) for support.

The Sexual Health Peer Resource Center (SHPRC), located on the 2nd floor of Vaden Health Center, provides sexual health resources and peer counseling to Stanford students. The center is student-run and funded. More information will be made available about SHPRC’s fall hours. 

You can also try San Francisco Sex Information (SFSI) at 415-989-SFSI. They provide free, accurate, anonymous, non-judgmental information about sex, and they are educated in all aspects of human sexuality, including safer sex, sexual behavior, sexual identity, and gender identity.

There are a number of campus organizations for queer-identified students of color, such as Black and Queer at Stanford (BlaQS), La Familia de Stanford (LaFa), and Queer and Asian (Q&A). Check out the Queer Resource Center’s website for a full list. Weiland has access to databases full of QTPOC clinicians across the country. In addition, you can ask your CAPS Connects coordinator to be linked to a queer clinician of color, depending upon availability. 

Medical Services provides HIV testing with a blood test. The lab results are filed in your medical record along with your other test results. Your medical record is confidential, and the results will not be released without your permission unless subpoenaed by law. Positive test results for communicable infections, including chlamydia, hepatitis B, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV and hepatitis C, must be reported to the County Department of Public Health. If you need documentation of your results, this is the type of testing you need.

Stanford has a number of queer organizations on campus that target various religious, academic, and cultural interests. There are many LGBTQIA-specific events throughout the year such queer parties, queer healing, discussion groups, etc. Check out QSR’s website for a complete list of organizations and sign up for LGBTQIA mailing lists (such as QNet) to receive announcements about LGBTQIA related events on campus.

Stanford University is committed to welcoming students of all sexual and gender identities, as well as individuals from diverse religious and non-religious backgrounds. Various resources are available for those facing spiritual, religious, or cultural conflicts.

The Office for Religious Life offers support and programming in matters of religion, spirituality, and ethics, with leadership from the Christian, Jewish, and Unitarian Universalist traditions. They ensure that all students, faculty, and staff have access to supportive environments for their spiritual journeys. For more information, visit their website.

For those who find it helpful to speak with a professional, the Weiland Health Initiative provides resources for students in the coming out process. Visit Weiland Health Initiative or email them directly to make an appointment. Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) also offer support with personal, academic, and relationship challenges. 

Frequently Asked Questions about Gender Affirming Care

CAPS assessment appointments, Weiland appointments, and Vaden Medical Services visits (including those to obtain gender affirming hormone therapy/GAHT, formerly known as HRT) are covered under your Health Fee. Your insurance (Cardinal Care or other Insurance Provider) will determine how much you pay for the hormones/medications, which will be filled at your local pharmacy.

While your initial appointments and GAHT consultations will be covered under your Health Fee, there will be costs involved with getting hormones/medication, surgery, and off-campus therapy. For information on financial support, check out the Umbrella Assistance Fund as well as the Financial Aid Office. For help in navigating these and other financial aid options, feel free to email Weiland Health Initiative here.

Coverage varies between health insurance companies, states, and plans. Read your policy completely—not just the summary—and look for the exclusions and limitations section. Next, call your insurance company's member services department, or contact a benefits representative where you work. (If you have Cardinal Care, call HealthNet 1.800.977.7282). Here are some questions to ask:

  • Is my selected surgeon a provider with my specific plan? (Provide the representative with your surgeon's NPI number.)
  • If my surgeon is NOT a provider, does my plan have out-of-network benefits?
  • Does my plan cover gender-affirming surgery?
  • How much is my deductible?

For more information on insurance coverage, this website may be helpful. In addition, CAPS provides insurance referral services where a CAPS clinician can help you navigate insurance systems. Call 650.723.3785 and ask to be scheduled with the insurance referral coordinator.

We have an ongoing list of surgeons we refer to, you can peruse them here. Outside of this list, you can contact Weiland Health Initiative via email here for additional assistance. 

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