LGBTQ+ Veteran care

Connect with a care coordinator

Care we provide at VA Hudson Valley health care

Our LGBTQ+ Health Program Veterans care coordinator can answer your questions, advocate for your right to quality care, handle complaints or concerns you have about your care, and help you get started with any of our services for LGBTQ+ Veterans. These include:

• Mental health services
• Creative arts therapies
• Hormone Therapy in limited circumstances
• Testing, counseling, and care for HIV and sexually transmitted infections, including PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) and PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) for Veterans at risk for HIV
• Other prevention, screening, wellness, and testing services

Policies and practices to know

The care coordinator can help you get started with care or with navigating any of these issues.

Visitation: A same-sex partner, family member, friend, or other individuals can be present with the patient for emotional support during the course of the patient's stay.

Definition of family: "Family" may include individual(s) not legally related to the individual. Family members include spouses, domestic partners, and different-sex and same-sex significant others.

Advance directives: Veterans may designate any person as a decision-maker for care if they won't be able to make these decisions themselves. This includes same-sex partners. Advance directive agents are chosen by the Veteran and do not need to be biologically related.

Documentation in medical records: VA Hudson Valley maintains the confidentiality of information about sexual orientation, sexual behavior, and gender identity, just like any other private health information. Veterans have the right to request changes to their medical record. For more information or to begin the process, please contact your VA Privacy Officer.

Check out more information for our LGBTQ+ patient care services here.

Our care coordinator can be reached through secure messaging at MyHealtheVet.