Texas Children’s Hospital has officially opened a specialized medical clinic for patients seeking care after undergoing gender-transition interventions. The launch fulfills a central requirement of a legal settlement that also involved a $10 million payment by the hospital, arriving as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Democrat James Talarico compete in a U.S. Senate race with contrasting records on transgender policies.
Paxton announced the facility’s opening on social media, stating that the nation’s first dedicated detransition clinic was now operational. The clinic provides individualized, multidisciplinary medical care to patients through age 21, along with detransition-related obstetric and gynecologic care for patients older than 21. According to the hospital’s website, available specialties include endocrinology, surgery, primary care, fertility counseling, psychiatry, psychology, social work, case management, and speech pathology. Patients can request appointments online and undergo an initial virtual triage visit, with care provided across different Texas Children’s locations depending on medical recommendations.
Under the terms of the settlement, the hospital must provide the clinic’s services free of charge for five years and promote the facility on its website. The agreement also required the institution to permanently terminate the privileges of three current physicians, bar two former physicians from obtaining privileges at affiliated facilities, and implement operational reforms, including employee training and restrictions on gender-transition procedures. The settlement resolved allegations that the hospital submitted false claims to government healthcare programs for puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and other treatments using false diagnosis codes following an investigation by Paxton’s office and the Department of Justice.
The legal agreement stemmed from a whistleblower complaint filed on behalf of Vanessa Sivadge, a former Texas Children’s nurse who raised concerns about gender-transition treatments and billing practices. Sivadge publicly disclosed her concerns in June 2024 and was subsequently placed on leave before being fired that August. Detransitioners and independent advocates, including Soren Aldaco, Claire Abernathy, Prisha Mosley, and Maia Poet, offered mixed perspectives on the clinic’s opening, acknowledging its novelty while raising questions about age restrictions, practical access, and the comprehensive nature of care required for complex medical histories.
