Gender Identity Clinic: Initial Assessment Appointments

At your initial assessment you can expect to meet with two clinic staff people, typically one from psychology and one from psychiatry--that’s the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) Standard of Care. You will meet with each person separately--clients have told us it’s less intimidating that way.

These appointments are typically 60 to 90 minutes in length. Except for the gender and sexuality-specific questions, this looks much like a general psychiatry consultation. We ask about many different areas, such as family, education, and medical history. If, during your interview, you have any concerns about why a particular question is being asked, please let your interviewer know, and he or she can explain the rationale.

Our report is sent back to your referring doctor, along with our recommendations. This can take up to two months and occasionally longer. Be in contact with your referring doctor to have them share any specific recommendations we have with you. If you have any questions about the recommendations, we encourage you to contact us to discuss these further.

We often get to know people in the course of multiple appointments over time. We’ll be interested in speaking with your current care team and you’ll be invited for follow-up. We do not contact you to make follow-up appointments. It is your responsibility to call us to schedule these appointments.

If you live in the north, you may be eligible for a Northern Travel Grant to cover basic travel costs to and from your appointments with CAMH. If you are an ODSP recipient, you may similarly be eligible to have basic travel costs reimbursed. Please ask your local provider for further details.

We are recently piloting the use of TelePsychiatry for individuals who live far from the Gender Identity Clinic. With this technology you can be interviewed by our clinic staff using closed video link to your community. While we would like to see you in person for our initial assessment, we would be happy to speak with you about the possibility of using this technology for subsequent appointments.