About Transhealth
Who We Are
Transhealth is the only independent, non-profit healthcare organization in the United States devoted solely to serving the trans and gender-diverse community.
Mission:
Transhealth is an independent and comprehensive healthcare center that supports and empowers trans and gender-diverse individuals and families.
Throughout our history as a community, trans and gender-diverse people have looked to each other for healing, support, and affirmation. Transhealth honors that by serving as a source of hope and showing what good gender-affirming healthcare looks like.
As a trans and gender-diverse led organization rooted in Western Massachusetts, we are expanding the healthcare possibilities for our community. Through expert care, community support, education, and advocacy, we work to secure a healthy, affirming future for all of us.
Vision:
We are transforming the world so that trans and gender-diverse individuals are empowered and celebrated as they work with an affirming team to own their healthcare journey.
Our Services
Clinical Care
We provide high-quality, gender-affirming primary care, pediatric care, mental healthcare, gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), surgical letters, and an STI Walk-in Clinic.
Community Support
Our lifesaving community outreach programs include a drop-in community space, community closet, groups and events, resources, transportation, insurance enrollment counseling, HIV/STI prevention, and harm reduction supplies.
Education
We offer comprehensive education for patients, families, members of the community, and clinicians.
Advocacy
We advocate for laws and policies to transform healthcare and improve the lives of the trans and gender-diverse community.
Our Values
01
We believe everyone deserves joy in our work, bodies, and relationships as well as on our streets. We are prepared to fight for our patients’ right to experience that joy.
02
We believe in understanding and empathizing with others and approaching with a beginner’s mind.
03
We are lifelong learners and committed to continually being open to new perspectives and ideas.
04
We are devoted to being compassionate at work, for our colleagues and patients.
05
We are building a team that reflects the diversity of our patients and the world we envision.
06
We stand for new ways of delivering health care that empower staff and patients to reimagine true patient-centered care.
07
We believe real inclusion starts with honoring who we are and living the life we were meant to live.
08
We see you, honor your choices, and support you in achieving your goals.
09
We strive to create a space where all voices are heard and seen.
10
We are here to create a flexible and evolving work environment that strives for radical trust in each other.
Our Strategic Plan
We invite you to review Transhealth’s 2025 – 2029 Strategic Plan which covers the period from January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2029. Co-created over a 2-year period by Transhealth’s Board of Directors, team members, and our communities, this flexible and responsive plan was designed to guide the organization forward and foster action and accountability.
How We Started
Transhealth has its roots in the experience of two Western Massachusetts LGBTQIA+ community leaders. Tired of driving two to three hours to a city for certain types of gender-affirming care, they dreamed of creating a comprehensive center for gender-affirming care in Western Massachusetts. With the generous support of family, this dream became a reality.
The first step in founding the center was to build a team to conduct a study of local needs known as The PATH Project (Plan and Act for Transgender Health). This needs assessment was conducted as a partnership between local gender-diverse community members and staff from The Fenway Institute, Cooley Dickinson Health Care, and Harvard Medical School to ensure that as many voices as possible contributed to the foundation of the center. The goal of PATH was to reach as many people who typically don’t get their needs taken into consideration. Based on the needs assessment, the center could offer the services that people actually want and need with a commitment to always listen and respond to the community.
With the study complete, and the needs of the community clearly defined, Transhealth was born, opening its doors in May 2021. From there, Transheath team and the number of patients they serve has continued to grow.
Our Team
The Transhealth team is a proud and compassionate group of over 50 healthcare providers and other professionals who have dedicated our lives to serving trans and gender-diverse communities. The majority of our team is trans and gender-diverse, and almost all staff members are a part of LGBTQIA+ communities. Among our employees are the fiercest allies – some of us are the parents of trans kids, some have trans partners, and all have witnessed firsthand how essential our work is. Our team gets it, the struggles and the joy, and we are committed to steadfastly supporting and celebrating your authentic self and to delivering the affirming healthcare you need and deserve.
Transhealth is led by CEO Jo Erwin (any pronouns) and COO Celia Overby (she/her). Jo is a registered nurse with decades of experience as both a healthcare provider and high-level executive with proven success guiding organizations through strategic expansion. As a gender-non-conforming lesbian with non-binary children, Jo brings an unyielding passion for removing barriers to quality healthcare. Celia is an expert systems thinker who excels at strategic development, high-level operations, and the implementation of complex and multi-faceted growth. A steadfast supporter of the trans and gender-diverse community, Celia wholeheartedly believes everyone should have a place where they can bring their whole selves, belong, and flourish.