The Unmet Care Needs Fund (UCNF) is an initiative funded by anonymous donors that provides emergency financial assistance to transgender, intersex, and gender-diverse veterans living in King County, WA, who are unable to access critical gender-affirming care following policy changes by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
Unmet Care Needs Fund offers:
Gender-Affirming Care support: UCNF is open to residents of King County, WA who utilize or are eligible to utilize VA health care and are denied access to HRT due to federal mandates against the provision of gender-affirming care.
Funding through the program is limited to $500/year per veteran. The fund is a stabilization program while veterans find a longer-term solution with MVA’s support and access to King County Veterans Program (KCVP) resources.
*Please note, this program is only available to veterans residing in King County, WA.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the program work?
There are three phases to the program.
Phase 1: Veterans apply for support.
Phase 2: Veterans work with a Minority Vets Case Manager to find a path to stabilization in care with support from MVA and King County Veterans Program (KCVP).
Phase 3: A Minority Vets Case Manger will connect veterans in the program to state Medicaid and private insurance options.
What types of coverage and care are provided?
Hormone replacement therapy is covered.
Depending on your needs and circumstance, Minority Vets may be able to connect participants with additional resources and funding through the King County Veterans Program (KCVP) to cover prosthetics and voice training.
What is the application process?
Applications should be submitted by the veteran or service member. Once the application is received, a Minority Vets staff member will review it and reach out to the applicant to let them know whether or not they have been accepted to the program.
Do you have an infosheet for this program?
Learn more about Program and Client flows here.
Tell me more about the anonymous donors and how I can support.
In a powerful act of solidarity, Clinicians for Veteran Health, an anonymous group of VA providers, have come forward to seed MVA’s Unmet Care Needs fund through private donations. Below is an excerpt from their statement of support:
“When one Veteran is disrespected, every Veteran is disrespected. On issues like PTSD, maternity care, suicide, toxic exposures and gender dysphoria, the VA has made progress because Veterans have fought hard to get the care they deserve. We should not be going backwards. Both the scientific evidence and our clinical experience have shown us that thoughtful gender-affirming therapy can safely and cost-effectively lighten otherwise intractable suffering.
To care for those who have “borne the battle” is an honor, and we feel obliged to help every Veteran receive their medically necessary care, which is why this donation is not limited to hormone therapy. Additionally, given public statements by federal officials like the Secretary for Health and Human Services, we have a reasonable concern that other effective therapies that touch controversial issues are at risk, treatments like medicines for addiction, birth control, and even antidepressants.
Every Veteran deserves good care, free from the political whims of Washington. We thank Minority Vets for stepping in to support all Veterans.”
-Clinicians for Veteran Health
How can I donate to the Unmet Care Needs fund?
Donate to the Unmet Care Needs Fund here.
Is this program available nationally?
MVA has launched a fundraising campaign to grow the Unmet Care Needs Fund, expand its reach beyond King County, and serve a greater number of transgender, intersex, and gender-diverse veterans nationwide who have been affected by the rescission of VHA Directive 1341.