Speak Up Now About Transgender Diagnoses: Change the DSM

Professionals Concerned about Gender Diagnoses --Speak up before April 20th Time Sensitive -- Feedback ends on April 20th If you are receiving this in error, or are not interested in this topic, please delete. I am sending this out as an email blast to my entire email list (the only time I have ever done this), because it is an extremely timely issue, and I am hoping it will reach as many people as possible. As many of you know, the American Psychological Association is in the process of revising the psychiatric manual called the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). The DSM is one of the most important psychological tools in the world, and impacts not only mental health and medical issues, but is also used in legal decisions. It is an internationally utilized document, and will affect health care and insurance for the next decade. The APA is accepting feedback on their current suggestions to revise diagnoses. This included Autism, changes to Juvenile Bipolar Disorder, and many other diagnoses. I have long been involved in the reform of the Gender Identity Disorders in the DSM. I have been working with a group of colleagues to craft a statement for the American Psychiatric Association about the proposed diagnoses in the DSM-5. I offer you this link to our web page which outlines our position, and also offers links to petitions that are being circulated. Here is the link to the APA's page on suggested revised diagnoses: http://www.dsm5.org/ProposedRevisions/Pages/Default.aspx You can scroll down to see the Gender related diagnoses, under Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders. You must sign in to send in your comments. Our group, Professionals Concerned with Gender Diagnoses in the DSM, has developed suggestions for the APA subcommittee addressing gender diagnoses. Our suggestions are listed here: http://www.professionals.gidreform.org/ Our group was formed for the explicit purpose of offering constructive recommendations to the DSM-5 Task Force and its relevant work groups. What we offer to you here is derived from many hours of discussion and review of the existing literature to reach consensus and to offer scientifically sound recommendations. We are addressing a number of areas of recommendations including: suggestions for further reform of the GID/GI diagnosis, specific suggestions for a separate adolescent diagnosis, and reform of the child diagnosis. Additionally, we suggest the removal of Transvestic Disorder from the DSM, and also recommend eliminating the need to specifically mention intersex people in the diagnostic criteria. The time for making suggestions ends on April 20th. This is your opportunity to impact the mental health treatment for transgender, transsexual, and gender nonconforming adults, youth and children well into the 21st century. Please forward widely. Ari -- LOOK NEW ADDRESS and updated Website! Arlene Istar Lev LCSW, CASAC Choices Counseling and Consulting 523 Western Ave. Suite 2A Albany, NY 12203-1617 518-463-9152 info@choicesconsulting.com www.choicesconsulting.com Arlene Istar Lev, LCSW-R, CASAC Lecturer School of Social Welfare SUNY Albany Albany NY Arlene.Lev@gmail.com 518-463-9152