Inpatient Treatment Resort for TS/IS Persons

[taylor]

Hi all,

Some of you know I am heavily involved with advancing the treatment and healthcare for TS/IS persons in the USA.  We are currently looking into building a facility on a small island off the eastern seaboard of the US. This facility would be for two things, one would be Rehab for addicts, and a wing specifically for TS persons in need of therapy and other treatment. There would be a full private beach, health and fitness activities, socialization, support groups, and of course group and individual treatement for TS issues.  We have secured a staff attorney to look into what it would take, we are keeping things as a non profit status (Sliding scale fees/donations), but our primary focus is to provide real support and treatment  for what we consider more of a social condition than a mental condition.... time to change the treatment trends folks.  Cutting edge true support in a safe and private environment with only access on and off the island by boat, for privacy and the feeling of being free from judgement and shame.

Now we need to hear from you all again.  I want to know several things:

1. Would you find a beach front treatment facility that charged on a sliding scale, a place you would want to go for treatment?
2. If yes why? If no why not?
3. What three things would be the most important to you in your stay in a place like this?
4. What would you gain from in patient treatment verses out patient treatment?
5. Would an after care program of support be something that you would want to have access to?

Any questions or ideas that you would like to pose to me are very important for me to hear. I will be taking the responses, without any names (other than your fake names on this site) to our board meeting next month. I will also let all of you know when we move to each planning phase, but bare with me on being slow at times, I am truly swamped with many different things going on.

I will be leaving May 22nd for 16 days to Alaska, please keep this thread alive and I want to have record breaking responses here folks! This is something that can be achieved if I get enough people that say this is a benifit to our community nationwide.

If anyone is involved with support groups in your area, or other website support groups, please contact me privately PM or Email and let me know if you would like to help me get as much feedback nationwide as possible, it would be a great help. This is for our communities folks, so let me hear your loud and clear!

Peace
Taylor

[MeghanAndrews]

Hi Taylor,
I think that's an interesting idea. I'll answer your questions:

1) yes, I think that would be attractive. It would be a place to go and really concentrate on some of the issues I have.
2) see above
3) first, it would have to be a very supportive environment with many therapists. second, there has to be a main focus on this being a first step, that the process is a long, structured process and really starts when you leave, not when you are there. Third, building a solid network of people while there would help the transition once you get out, so that's important too. I think inpatient treatment really would help you focus on dealing with the issues and not "fitting" the issues into your life when you can. I think we all have a tendency to feel overwhelmed by the feelings sometimes, having an intensive, therapeutic environment would be an excellent first step I think.
5) Aftercare is extremely importantm, but I think the main role of inpatient would be to identify, set a course of action and then focus on setting the transgendered person up with therapist and supprt people once they get back home.

Hope this helps Meghan

[Lisbeth]

I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I can't think of any reason I would use such a service.  First of all, working through gender issues can take years.  Second, my objective is to live in my preferred gender in the wider world, and I can't see how retreating from it would facilitate that.  I can't think of any retreat setting lasting longer than a week that would be of help, and there are lots of TG/CD convensions that hold those.  I'm not sure that building it around a therapy concentation would differentiate your services in a positive way.  If others can come up with a compelling value equation, I would be happy to listen.

[Andrew]

The biggest barrier I can see would be price. Other than that, it sounds great for transsexuals who either have the money or can get it covered by their insurance.

[Melissa-kitty]

There might be a market for the services, but it will probably be difficult. Insurance coverage will be a problem, unless it is primarily geared to medical/psychiatric treatment. Semi-acute psychiatric care is a niche product, and expensive. The substance abuse part might be do-able, but again, can have it's own challenges. But people come from all over the world to Hazelden or Menningers, so maybe there will be a market. Hope you have a good insurance person. Would be cool if there was FFS, BA, SRS there, too, but I'm dreaming.
PS: I've set up and run inpatient psychiatric units my whole career, so I may help give you some advice, if needed.
Blessings, Tara

[LostInTime]

1. Would you find a beach front treatment facility that charged on a sliding scale, a place you would want to go for treatment?

Did you say beach? Oh heck yeah!

2. If yes why? If no why not?

Yes, the power of the beach is not to be denied.

3. What three things would be the most important to you in your stay in a place like this?

sun, sand, surf

4. What would you gain from in patient treatment verses out patient treatment?

A private beach.

5. Would an after care program of support be something that you would want to have access to?

I am all about aftercare although it means something different for me.

Seriously, sounds like a great idea depending on weather conditions, exact location, access to the resort, the services provided, the doctors involved, and of course the costs. Min and max days to be there? follow up?  What about insurance billing? For those without insurance?

I am dead broke so I never see something like this as a viable option for myself but I do believe that if it is done correctly, it can be a big help to the community.

good luck with the project and thank you for your hard work.

LIT

oh, and you are going to post pics of the trip somewhere?

[taylor]

Hey Lost,

Sorry it has been over a month sense I could get back in here.  The costs we are projecting to be on a sliding scale. However those with insurance would be able to pay through their carrier.

I would not mind posting some pics from the trip, and will do so on my website shortly. 

Peace
Taylor

[Manyfaces]

It's not really clear to me from what you've said what kind of "treatment" such a place would provide, or what the advantage to going there would be, other than simply an opportunity to be in a completely safe and accepting environment with other TG/TS people.  That would be nice, but I know for myself, as someone just beginning the transition process (and as a person located on the west coast, and as someone without much in the way of financial resources or insurance), I need local, affordable resources that I can utilize for support and treatment throughout my transition more than I need a beach getaway, as lovely as that sounds.