ITCA recognizes that the Transgender, Gender Non-Conforming and Non-Binary Communities have long been under-served by the Community at large and by health care providers in particular. Additionally, there has been limited research and training of providers in this field of transgender health care. ITCA is committed in advancing the field of transgender health care and of those diverse professionals and community supporters committed to enhancing the lives of transgender, transsexual and gender non-conforming people in all cultural settings.
Established in 2012, the International Transgender Certification Association is the FIRST Training Program created to specifically certify Therapists and Professionals in their fields to work with Gender Expansive Populations.
The concept of creating a training to introduce and educate on the expansiveness of gender was inspired through a conversation between a cis- gender female therapist and an influential trans woman, who had just recently developed a conference around this very topic. So inspired by their passion to make this training a reality, they assembled a “dream team” of other professionals; professionals and therapists, who through their own work with the Transgender and Gender Non-Conforming and Non-Binary Communities, they would found and establish the Transgender Certification Program. The focus of which, is to enlarge the existing network of service providers for a diverse Gender Expansive Community. ITCA’s mission is to offer the education, training, and certification for the delivery of professional, ethical and knowledgeable care.
The curriculum began with a 2011 study by Gary Gates of the Williams Institute which estimated that 0.3% of adults in the United States are transgender. In other words, 1 in every 300 people may need guidance or counseling at some time to address gender dysphoria or other challenges or co-occurring issues stemming from a struggle with gender identity or expression.
More recent studies in current years have brought this population total to .5 and .6% of adults and still climbing (to almost 1% of our world’s population).
ITCA recognizes that every individual’s journey requires experienced professionals and para-professionals to facilitate decisions about life choices.
Currently, there are still too few therapists, physicians, and other healthcare providers who are knowledgeable about the Transgender Community and even less who are willing to treat them. It is for this reason that ITCA offers educational trainings and aims to diversify the network by creating resources needed to support the diverse population of Transgender, Gender Non-Conforming and Non-Binary individuals throughout the world.
With a very thorough curriculum, developed over years of trainings and experience, the International Transgender Certification Association is among the leading Transgender Educational Programs currently available. We are proud to be making a difference in breaking through the barriers and providing the much needed support to health care providers and professionals serving the Gender Expansive Communities.
Our Goals
- Focus on improving service delivery to transgender, transsexual and gender non-conforming communities by advancing the field of transgender health care.
- Ensuring quality care and services with education and certifying healthcare professionals and community providers.
- Maintaining consistent standards of care by providing a network of highly qualified experts in the field of transgender health.
Our Values
- We acknowledge the contributions that professional staff and volunteers make to our success.
- We believe in the development, ongoing training, participation in the decision making process, and recognition of accomplishments.
- We uphold integrity and the highest ethical standards.
- We collaborate with our community partners to achieve our collective goals.
- We promote equality as a universal right.
