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Learn what the PACT Act means for your VA benefits

LGBTQ+ Veteran care

VA North Texas employees receive training in clinical care that is responsive to the unique needs of LGBTQ+ Veterans. Our trained LGBTQ+ Veteran care coordinator is fully equipped to support the health, welfare, and dignity of you and your family.

Connect with our LGBTQ+ Veteran care coordinator

 

Dr. Holland-deguire

Christopher Holland-Deguire, PsyD

LGBTQ+ Veteran care coordinator, staff psychologist

VA North Texas health care

Phone: 214-857-0534

Care we provide at VA North Texas

Our LGBTQ+ Veteran care coordinators 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, including psychosocial assessments for hormone therapy and gender confirming surgeries
  • Creative arts therapies
  • Hormone therapy
  • Gender-affirming prosthetics
  • Testing, counseling, and care for HIV and sexually transmitted infections, counseling, and care, including post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) 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 individual 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, 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 North Texas maintains the confidentiality of information about sexual orientation, sexual behavior, and gender identity, just like any other private health information.

Changing name or sex in records: Your name in your medical record will reflect your legal name. The sex in your medical record should reflect your self-identified gender. You have the right to request that your name and sex are updated as appropriate. There are established procedures for changing your name and sex with the VA Privacy Officer.

VA North Texas LGBTQ+ safe space provider directory

Our LGBTQ+ Veteran care coordinators 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.

VA North Texas LGBTQ+ safe space provider directory
Category Provider Pronouns Department Role Degree Location Medical certification Mental health certification
Category Admin Provider Reba Pollard Pronouns She/Her Department Patient administrative services Role Patient flow expediter/bed control Degree RN Location Dallas Medical certification X Mental health certification
Category Inpatient Provider Stephen Sissons Pronouns He/Him Department Nursing Role TICU/SICU bedside nurse Degree BSN/RN Location Dallas Medical certification X Mental health certification
Category Medical Provider Renata Harris Pronouns She/Her Department Nursing Role Registered nurse Degree RN, BSN Location Dallas Medical certification X Mental health certification
Category Medical Provider Karen E. Yandell Pronouns She/Her Department CLC-C wing Role Charge nurse Degree BSN Location Bonham Medical certification X Mental health certification
Category Medical Provider Lillian Medhus Pronouns She/Her Department Gynecology, Surgical service Role Nurse practitioner Degree DNP, WHNP-BC, CNM Location Dallas Medical certification X Mental health certification
Category Medical Provider Belinda Sweet Pronouns She/Her Department Nursing Role Clinic nurse Degree BSN Location Bonham Medical certification X Mental health certification
Category Medical Provider Linda A Oliver Pronouns She/Her Department Nursing Role LVN Degree LVN Location Bonham Medical certification X Mental health certification
Category Medical Provider Kathryn Nelson Pronouns She/Her Department Anesthesia and pain management services Role Assistant chief certified registered nurse anesthetist Degree MSN, BSN, BA in psychology Location Dallas Medical certification X Mental health certification
Category Medical Provider Ricky Harden Pronouns He/Him Department Radiology services Role Lead technologist, Vascular & interventional radiology Degree BS in radiologic service Location Dallas Medical certification X Mental health certification
Category Medical Provider Hannah Omonzogie Pronouns She/Her Department Surgical services Role Ophthalmology nurse Degree LVN Location Dallas Medical certification X Mental health certification
Category Medical Provider Erin Messick Pronouns She/Her Department Clinical research nit Role Clinical research coordinator Degree MS Location Dallas Medical certification Mental health certification
Category Medical Provider Christopher Harvey Pronouns He/Him Department Audiology & speech pathology Role Audiologist Degree Au.D. Location Dallas Medical certification Mental health certification
Category Medical Provider Ruth Pinkerton Pronouns She/Her Department Vascular surgery Role Physician assistant Degree PA-C Location Dallas/Ft. Worth Medical certification Mental health certification
Category MH Provider Christopher Holland-Deguire Pronouns He/Him Department Mental health Role Psychologist & LGBTQ+ VCC Degree PsyD Location Dallas Medical certification Mental health certification
Category MH Provider Carl L. Grahn Pronouns He/Him Department Mental health Role Psychologist Degree PsyD Location Ft. Worth Medical certification Mental health certification X
Category MH Provider Kent Ross Pronouns He/Him Department Mental health Role Community integration specialist Degree Certified peer specialist Location Ft. Worth Medical certification Mental health certification X
Category MH Provider Jenny Esparza Pronouns She/Her Department Mental health Role Senior social worker Degree MBA, LCSW-S. PMP Location Dallas Medical certification Mental health certification X
Category MH Provider Ashley McLaurin Pronouns She/Her Department Mental health Role HCHV outreach social worker Degree LMSW Location Dallas Medical certification Mental health certification X
Category MH Provider Demetrice Roberson-Gaines Pronouns She/Her Department Mental health Role Vocational rehab specialist Degree ABD, MA Location Fort Worth Medical certification Mental health certification X
Category MH Provider Scott Woods Pronouns He/Him Department Mental health Role Psychologist Degree PsyD Location Tyler Medical certification Mental health certification X
Category MH Provider Sherrie St. Cyr Pronouns She/Her Department Mental health Role Clinical social worker PCMHI Degree MSSW Location Bonham Medical certification Mental health certification X
Category MH Provider Robert Pugh Pronouns He/Him Department Mental health Role Program support assistant Degree MBA Location Fort Worth Medical certification Mental health certification
Category MH Provider Ariel Brown Pronouns She/Her Department Mental health Role Social worker Degree MSW, LCSW-S Location Dallas Medical certification X Mental health certification X
Category MH Provider Riley Cook Pronouns She/Her Department Clinical research Role Study coordinator, Mental health Degree MS Location Dallas Medical certification Mental health certification X
Category MH Provider Beth Snear Pronouns She/Her Department Mental health Role Social worker Degree LMSW Location Dallas Medical certification Mental health certification X
Category MH Provider Thomas Lane Pronouns He/Him Department Bonham domiciliary Role Addiction therapist Degree BS, LCDC Location Bonham Medical certification Mental health certification X
Category MH Provider Julia Evans Pronouns She/Her Department Mental health Role PTSD/SUD psychologist Degree PhD Location Dallas Medical certification Mental health certification X
Category MH Provider Shanell Williams Pronouns She/Her Department Mental health Role Social worker Degree LMSW Location Fort Worth Medical certification Mental health certification X
Category MH Provider Alexandria Marshall Pronouns She/Her Department Mental health Role Occupational therapist Degree MS, OTR/L Location Dallas Medical certification Mental health certification
Category MH Provider Monica J Kelly Pronouns She/Her Department Mental health Role Senior social worker Degree LCSW Location Bonham Medical certification Mental health certification X
Category PACT Provider Courtney Wayne Pronouns She/Her Department Social work service Role Social worker, LGBTQ+ SEPM Degree MA, LCSW, CCM Location Garland Medical certification X Mental health certification X
Category PACT Provider Nicole Goulding Pronouns She/Her Department Ambulatory care, SCI, Whole health Role Radiation oncology therapist, NBWHC Degree MSRS Location Dallas Medical certification X Mental health certification X
Category PACT Provider Kim Canova-Romans Pronouns She/Her Department Recreation therapy Role Certified therapeutic recreation specialist Degree BS Location Dallas/Ft Worth Medical certification X Mental health certification X
Category PACT Provider Yolanda L. Cates Pronouns She/Her Department MAS Role AOD Degree Location Dallas Medical certification Mental health certification
Category PACT Provider Johnny Trinh Pronouns He/Him Department Social work service Role Social worker Degree LMSW Location Garland Medical certification Mental health certification X
Category PACT Provider Kayla Acomb Pronouns She/Her Department Nutrition and food service Role Eating disorder RD Degree BS, RD Location North Texas Medical certification Mental health certification
Category PACT Provider Charles Clift Pronouns He/Him Department PACT RN Role Nurse Degree RN Location Garland Medical certification Mental health certification
Category PACT Provider Johnny Trinh Pronouns He/Him Department Social work service Role Social worker Degree LMSW Location Garland Medical certification Mental health certification
VA North Texas has received the designation of “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Top Performer” in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 15th-anniversary edition of the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI)

VA North Texas has received the designation of “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Top Performer” in the Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 15th-anniversary edition of the Healthcare Equality Index (HEI), the nation’s foremost benchmarking survey of healthcare facilities on policies and practices dedicated to the equitable treatment and inclusion of their LGBTQ+ patients, visitors and employees.

This designation is the highest possible score a VHA facility can get as we do not currently have access to gender-affirming surgical procedures within VHA facilities across the country.

This accomplishment places VA North Texas as one of two LGBTQ+ HEI Top Performers in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, as well as one of two VHA facilities within VISN 17 to hold this status.

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