CAMH (Toronto) - Change of RLE policy. Woo-HOO!!!

[Colleen Ireland]

The news came this past week - CAMH will no longer require 2 years of RLE prior to recommending surgery.  The new requirement is ONE year!  Yay!  I started my RLE (officially) April 25 of this year.  That means, NEXT YEAR I could get my recommendation!  No small matter considering I'm 55.  Cause for celebration!  Dancing in the streets!  Wheeeee!

[cynthialee]

That is awesome.
I am sure that alot of girls will be pleased to hear this.

[Jillieann Rose]

That is so great Colleen.
But you better watch out for cars.
Hug
Jillieann

[Janet_Girl]

Some songs for you to dance to in the streets.   

[Colleen Ireland]

It also means that girls who have ALREADY completed one year of RLE are all getting contacted for their approval appointment (it's not automatic, of course, they have to assess readiness).  Unfortunately, this means that people who are WAITING for their initial assessment will probably be kept waiting a little longer, because the yearlings have priority.  It'd be great if they'd just double their staff compliment to handle the workload, but I guess we can't have everything (sigh).  My 6-month follow-up (six months since initial assessment) is July 5. I will be presenting my RLE documentation at that point, so the clock will be ticking...

Hard to believe I could potentially be complete in late 2012!!

[annette]

That's a good move of the Canadian government Colleen.
I'm happy for you to hear that.
Now you can have transition in speed gear.

Hugs
Annette

[Jillieann Rose]

I am so happy for all you Canadian gals.
Wish the US had a health care system like yours.
No way can I pay for what I need.
I was born with this physical deformity and now I know I was born on the wrong side of the border too.
Rats! 

[justmeinoz]

Good news, and no doubt will be a literal life saver for some. 

[Radar]

I was born with this physical deformity and now I know I was born on the wrong side of the border too.

I feel the same way.

I'm very glad for Canadians and Europeans for getting help from their government and healthcare on this. I hope someday the U.S. will get their s**t together... but I doubt it.

[Jillieann Rose]

The USA will get there sooner or later Radar.
But to be honest I just don't know if it will be soon enough for us.
Radar we will become  and be what we are inside anyway.
So keep your chin up.

[Radar]

The USA will get there sooner or later Radar.
But to be honest I just don't know if it will be soon enough for us.

I'd like to believe so, but today the U.S. is run by corporations. The politicians simply work for them- they no longer call the shots or make the decisions.

With all the lobbyists, medical and pharmaceutical companies calling the shots there will never be a socialized medicine option. They'd lose too much money. Our only hope is to get out of this country before our Democracy completely crumbles due to corporate greed.

[AweSAM!]

Congratulations Colleen!

Even with the one year requirement, is the age approval still 21, I wonder. If it is, then I guess there's no difference for me. Never mind, apparently it's 18 now... WOW, I guess this moves me closer seeing as I'm 20! Although with the insane timeline for appointments (8-10 month wait), the time spent waiting is only marginally less than originally, but it's better than no change at all.

[Debra]

Yay they're in the 21st century finally =)

[dyslexi]

U hit the one year mark  with camh in april. Are you saying they won't make me wait a year on hrt before i can get my approval for surgery!!!!

[Colleen Ireland]

You don't need CAMH for HRT. You can access that yourself. Get a letter from your therapist and get your doctor to refer you to a good endo. And no, I don't think they'll make you take HRT for a year before surgery approval.

[rachl]

Do you have a link for the policy change? It still seems that CAMH indicates that 2yrs is required.

[Colleen Ireland]

I don't know if they've put it on the web, but I know from personal, first-hand experience (from a letter received from them, and from observing close friends get approved after just 1 year) that it has indeed changed.  They no longer require 2 years as a matter of course.  They can approve surgery after one year of RLE.  My own year is up in April, I am obviously eagerly anticipating approval.  In my last visit (Jan 4), the intern who was interviewing me actually said that subject to the usual conferencing of my case, and the information I'd provided, he "wouldn't be surprised" if I didn't have an appointment in April or around then to discuss possible approval for surgery (his exact words).

[eli77]

Do you have a link for the policy change? It still seems that CAMH indicates that 2yrs is required.

http://www.camh.net/About_CAMH/Guide_to_CAMH/Mental_Health_Programs/General_Psychiatry_Program/gender_identity_criteriasurgery.html

"clients become eligible for sex reassignment surgery after one year of documented RLE. Documented RLE prior to the initial clinic visit can partially fulfill this requirement, but we are still required to conduct a full assessment as per the standards."

[rachl]

Wow...that might have made my week. I could have sworn that I read, just a couple days ago, that it was two years (on the CAMH website).

[eli77]

Wow...that might have made my week. I could have sworn that I read, just a couple days ago, that it was two years (on the CAMH website).

For unknown reasons the outdated page is still online, and while nothing on the CAMH site links through to it, it can still be found from google.

Oh, and here is the actual statement about the changes. Finally found it. (CAMH's website is so user unfriendly.)

http://www.camh.net/About_CAMH/Guide_to_CAMH/Mental_Health_Programs/General_Psychiatry_Program/April_2011_announcement_change.html