NYU Langone Ends Trans Youth Care Program

By: Paul Goldberg, Senior Editor | JRL CHARTS – LGBT News

LAS VEGAS — (February 21, 2026) — One of New York City’s leading hospital systems, NYU Langone Health, has announced it will discontinue its Transgender Youth Health Program, citing staffing changes and what it described as “the current regulatory environment.”

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The decision marks another development in the nationwide shift surrounding access to gender-affirming care for minors. Families across New York are now working urgently to secure alternative medical providers for transgender youth who had been receiving treatment through the program.

Hospital Cites Regulatory Climate and Leadership Changes

In a statement provided to media outlets, NYU Langone confirmed that the program will close following the departure of its medical director and amid what officials described as evolving regulatory pressures at the federal level.

The hospital system stated it remains “committed to helping patients in our care manage this change,” noting that pediatric mental health services — including programs supporting transgender youth — will continue.

Previously, after a 2025 executive order from President Donald Trump targeting gender-affirming treatments for minors, NYU Langone had stopped accepting new patients and canceled certain scheduled procedures. Existing patients receiving puberty blockers or hormone therapy were permitted to continue treatment at that time. With the full closure of the program, that care pathway will now transition elsewhere.

Federal Policy Landscape Intensifies

The program’s closure comes amid broader federal actions affecting hospitals nationwide. The Department of Health and Human Services, under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., proposed rules that could impact Medicare and Medicaid funding for institutions offering gender-affirming care to minors.

Additionally, the U.S. Department of Justice has pursued information requests involving certain providers, while other federal agencies have launched compliance reviews tied to consumer protection and healthcare standards.

Supporters of gender-affirming care argue that these moves have created uncertainty for medical institutions, while opponents maintain that federal oversight is necessary to ensure regulatory compliance and patient protections.

State-Level Conflict in New York

The announcement places NYU Langone at the center of a legal and political debate unfolding in New York State.

In early 2025, New York Attorney General Letitia James issued guidance stating that hospitals must adhere to state anti-discrimination laws when providing healthcare services, including those for transgender youth.

Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal expressed concern about continuity of care for affected families, emphasizing the need for hospitals to coordinate smooth transitions to alternative providers.

Advocacy groups and community members previously held rallies in support of maintaining access to gender-affirming services in New York, underscoring the issue’s significance within the state’s healthcare and civil rights landscape.

Families Now Seek Alternative Providers

With the program’s closure, transgender youth and their families must now locate new medical providers — a process that may involve navigating insurance coverage, interstate travel, and evolving legal standards.

Healthcare access for transgender minors remains one of the most divisive issues in American public policy, with strong opinions expressed across the political spectrum, including within segments of the LGBTQ community itself.

As federal and state policies continue to shift, institutions nationwide are reassessing how to balance regulatory requirements, funding considerations, and patient care obligations.

JRL CHARTS will continue to monitor developments in healthcare policy impacting LGBTQ communities across the United States.

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