West Chester University: WCU Hosts Symposium On Integrated Care For Trans And Gender Diverse Youth

Press release from West Chester University:

September 28, 2021

Integrated Care and Support for Trans and Gender Diverse Children and Adolescents

The EPIC Program is funded through a $3.8 million HRSA (Health and Human Services Department’s Health
Resources and Services Administration) grant that was awarded to West Chester University
to train behavioral health care workers in integrated care. The grant provides West
Chester University MSW, MEd, and PsyD students with stipends ranging from $10,000
- $25,000 to further their training and to expand behavioral health services to medically
underserved populations and communities. To date, more than 170 West Chester University
students have been trained or are eligible for training. 

West Chester University Deputy Provost, Jeffery Osgood, says, “We are proud of the
EPIC Program and all that it has done for our students and the community at large.
The $3.8 million HRSA grant not only ensures that our West Chester University students
receive high-quality training and experiential learning opportunities, but also helps
shine a light on healthcare areas of need that exist in our community.”

The topic for the October 1 symposium is one that is near and dear to the West Chester
University Department of Social Work faculty members who planned the event.

Julie Tennille, associate professor and principal investigator of the EPIC Program
from the department of Graduate Social Work says, “Trans and gender diverse youth
experience intense stigma, discrimination, are often victims of violence, and are
socially excluded to the detriment of their well-being. They are also at much greater
risk for suicidal ideation, and inadequate health care. Many do not share their identities
with their primary health providers. People in medicine and behavioral health don’t
typically get the training they need to serve this population. We hope this symposium
can help to make a small dent in the progress we need to make as a society to help
this underserved population.” 

The symposium has been marketed to a broader audience due to its virtual nature. Currently,
550 registrants from 18 states and 2 countries are registered to attend.

Page Walker Buck, assistant chair of the Graduate Social Work Department says, “During
the COVID-19 shut-down when all events were forced to move online, we learned that
our virtual symposiums, which are also recorded, were well attended, and could attract
regional, national, and international practitioners. We’re excited to be able to reach
a wider pool of clinicians to provide training in areas that are often overlooked
in our healthcare system.”

Keynote speakers Sandra L. Bloom and Dane Ray will present on “Challenges to Identity
Development in Adolescents,” and “Gender Affirming Care for Transgender, Gender Diverse
and Gender Creative Clients,” respectively.  Bloom is associate professor of Health
Management and Policy at Drexel University. Ray is the owner and operator of D & A
Consulting Services and a training facilitator with The Transgender Training Institute.

A debriefing panel of experts from diverse practices will respond to keynote content.
The panel includes:

Enrolling more than 17,000 students, West Chester University is the largest member
of the 14-institution Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education. Founded in 1871,
the University is a comprehensive public institution, offering a diverse range of
more than 200 undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral programs in more than 50 fields
of study. In addition to the main campus in West Chester, the University offers programs
through its graduate center, the campus in Philadelphia, and online. Six colleges
and two schools comprise the University: University College, Colleges of Arts and
Humanities, Business and Public Management, Education and Social Work, Health Sciences,
and the Sciences and Mathematics, as well as the Wells School of Music, and the Graduate
School.

This press release was produced by West Chester University. The views expressed here are the author’s own.