First Steps

As a first step, new patients and families looking to establish care with our program are scheduled for an intake visit with our program social worker. You will receive a new patient questionnaire electronically for you and your child to complete prior to the first visit. This questionnaire will ask about the foremost needs and concerns of your child, your child's medical history, your family history as well as the services and supports you may (or may not) already be connected with. This intake process is critical to understanding you and your child's needs and how we can best serve you. Depending on your concerns, needs and goals, our social worker will direct you to the appropriate specialist(s) on our team and provide helpful related information. Our social worker also provides referrals to therapists with experience and expertise in this area for patients and families in need of one.  If your child is already connected with an experienced therapist, our social worker will obtain permission for us to communicate with them and provide their evaluation.  They will also determine if there are other providers that are involved in your child’s care both in and outside Phoenix Children's that we would like to obtain records from or communicate with to make sure your child receives the best care possible.

Our intake process will determine which members of our care team can best serve you and your child’s needs. Parents of happy, healthy gender expansive children might only need to connect with one of our therapists for expert guidance on parenting strategies and how to best support your child in your home and school. If your child is in early puberty and experiencing distress, we may direct you to our pediatric endocrinologists to learn more about suppressing puberty.  Gender expansive youth interested in gender affirming hormone therapy would best benefit from meeting with our adolescent medicine specialists. With shared decision making, our team will develop a treatment plan that reflects you and child’s needs, values, and preferences. 

Our social worker is also an excellent point of contact for questions and needs that come up in between scheduled visits. This includes questions such as a legal name change, working with schools, and so much more.  If your questions or needs might pertain to medical care, your child’s treatment plan will clearly specify whom among our medical professionals can best answer or meet your need.