Changes at Children’s Hospital Gender Clinic
Los Angeles Children’s Hospital (CHLA), which operates the largest pediatric gender clinic in the country, appears to be distancing itself from its former medical director, Johanna Olson Kennedy. Recently, the hospital removed her profile from its website. Olson Kennedy has been a prominent figure in gender medicine, prescribing puberty blockers and hormones for youth for over 16 years.
Her past role as a national expert in the field is notable, especially given her involvement in a controversial National Institutes of Health study examining the mental health impacts of treating gender dysphoria in children. The study, which pointed out that puberty blockers didn’t improve mental health outcomes for these children, faced scrutiny, and Olson Kennedy expressed concerns about how data might be misused.
Following a Presidential directive limiting federal funds for child gender transition procedures, CHLA announced on July 22 that it would close its Transyouth Health and Development Clinic. This decision came amidst increasing pressures from government policies that monitored and restricted such medical practices.
The clinic’s website reflected that, despite its importance to the local gender-diverse community, it was no longer sustainable to operate. The staff expressed sadness over these changes, indicating that it was a difficult decision driven by thorough assessments of the legal and financial repercussions of new policies.
Attempts to confirm Olson Kennedy’s current employment status were met with silence from CHLA, and she did not respond to inquiries either. The closure has been hailed by some organizations, with pundits arguing that many minors are being spared harm from controversial treatments.
In the meantime, CHLA has been listed among the institutions criticized for promoting what some deem harmful gender transition methods for minors. Critics, including health professionals, argue that there isn’t enough evidence supporting the psychological benefits of these interventions, and instead highlight potential risks.
Following President Trump’s initiatives, multiple hospital systems, including CHLA, halted gender reassignment procedures for minors, emphasizing a significant shift in the landscape of pediatric gender treatment. Recently, Olson Kennedy faced legal challenges, with a patient alleging negligence for being subjected to aggressive treatment pathways without adequate understanding of the potential risks. The lawsuit claims she recommended drastic procedures that may have been inappropriate given the patient’s situation.
As investigations into the clinical guidelines used by gender clinics continue, lawmakers, including Senator Bill Cassidy, have expressed commitment to revising treatment protocols based on emerging evidence. The discussions surrounding the treatment of minors experiencing gender dysphoria remain contentious, with ongoing debates about what constitutes appropriate care.
