Yukon health professionals, including physicians, are receiving education and training to provide compassionate and culturally sensitive transgender care.

The sessions began today and will end Saturday.

The Department of Health and Social Services is co-ordinating the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) course. It’s being facilitated by physicians specializing in transgender health.

The professionally accredited course educates clinicians in competent, compassionate and culturally sensitive transgender care that is based on universal best practices.

International experts will provide training in gender development; related mental health issues; legal, policy and ethical issues; and hormonal and surgical interventions.

“Improving delivery of health-care services to Yukon’s LGBTQ2S+ community is a priority for the Government of Yukon,” Health and Social Services Minister Pauline Frost said Wednesday.

“Thank you to All Genders Yukon and the Northern Gender Alliance for their guidance as we worked to bring WPATH training to Yukon.

“I look forward to continued collaboration with all community stakeholders as we work to make our health-care system more inclusive.”

WPATH training has been offered only once before in Canada. This is the first time it’s being offered at no cost to participants.

Whitehorse-born writer and storyteller Ivan Coyote was set to provide a keynote address.