Connecticut Children’s to halt gender-affirming care for minors

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Connecticut Children’s Medical Center in Hartford has agreed to stop providing gender-affirming medical treatments to minors, including puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones, as part of a settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice.

The DOJ announced the agreement Wednesday as part of its ongoing national investigation into gender-affirming care for children and adolescents.

According to the DOJ, Connecticut Children’s agreed not to perform gender-affirming procedures or surgeries on minors. The hospital also agreed to pay a monetary penalty and provide an additional $500,000 in medical care for people who previously received gender-affirming treatment at the facility.

The DOJ alleged that the hospital violated federal law in connection with its pediatric gender-affirming services.

“The Department of Justice will stop at nothing to protect America’s children,” Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward said. “This resolution is a reminder to hospitals, medical providers, and pharmaceutical companies that the Justice Department will vigorously enforce federal law, especially where the lives of children are endangered.”

Connecticut Children’s confirmed the settlement in a statement and said the agreement allows the hospital to remain focused on its mission of improving children’s health.

The hospital said protecting patient privacy was its “foremost concern” throughout the process and that the matter was resolved without providing protected patient information to the federal government.

“We have complied and will continue to comply with all federal and state laws,” the hospital said.

The settlement is the latest agreement reached by the DOJ involving gender-affirming care for minors.

In May, Texas Children’s Hospital agreed to establish a “detransition clinic,” according to the DOJ. In June, the Cleveland Clinic Foundation agreed to provide detransition care.

The agreements come amid a broader federal effort to investigate and restrict gender-affirming care provided to children and adolescents.