Respect in the interaction
Names, pronouns, identities, relationships, bodies, and families are approached without assumptions.
Directory commitment
The Affirming Care Commitment.
A public baseline for what identity-respectful, privacy-minded, accountable care should look like across the LGBTQIA+ Health NJ directory.
What the commitment meansWhy it exists
Make affirming values visible in practice.
The Affirming Care Commitment is a provider’s explicit promise to put affirming values into everyday communication, systems, documentation, referrals, family engagement, and ongoing learning—not simply to use an affirming label.
Providers identified as Affirming Providers and Trained Affirming Care Providers have reviewed and agreed to it. Listed Providers have not necessarily completed this step.
What it truly means
Affirming care is a practice—not a label.
Agreement reflects a baseline commitment to identity-respectful care and referral readiness. It asks providers to examine what people experience before, during, and after an appointment—and to respond when a system or interaction causes harm.
Inclusion in the system
Forms, records, documentation, privacy practices, and workflows should support—not undermine—affirming care.
Accountability in practice
Providers acknowledge limits, refer within scope, correct missteps, respond respectfully, and keep public information accurate.
Learning that continues
Affirming practice requires reflection, current guidance, community-informed learning, consultation, and change over time.
The commitment
Shared expectations for identity-responsive care.
These commitments apply across healthcare, behavioral health, wellness, referral, school, and community-support settings.
Welcome LGBTQIA+ people into care
Create a visibly welcoming environment, respond respectfully when someone shares an identity or relationship, and make clear that LGBTQIA+ people and families belong in the care setting.
Use affirming and identity-respectful language
Use inclusive terms, follow each person’s self-identified language, avoid stigmatizing terminology, discuss bodies and medical experiences respectfully, and practice cultural humility as language evolves.
Respect chosen names and pronouns
Ask respectfully, use names and pronouns consistently, update records when systems allow, correct mistakes promptly, and model respectful language across shared-care environments.
Avoid assumptions about identity or family structure
Avoid assumptions about partners, relationship roles, parenting, gender, or sexual orientation. Use neutral language and open-ended questions until a person shares what fits.
Use inclusive, privacy-minded systems and documentation
Support inclusive intake practices, use identity-affirming language, limit unnecessary identity disclosure, document affirmed names when possible, use neutral relational terms, and protect private identity information.
Recognize scope and refer appropriately
Identify limits in training or expertise, consult when appropriate, provide affirming specialist referrals, support continuity during transitions, and prioritize culturally responsive care.
Support diverse families and family-building pathways
Use inclusive terminology; recognize donor-assisted reproduction, surrogacy, gestational carriers, adoption, foster care, non-gestational parents, and multi-parent family roles; and engage caregivers respectfully when appropriate.
Coordinate without compromising privacy
Support collaborative communication with referring schools, caregivers, and care teams when appropriate, authorized, and consistent with confidentiality, safety, and professional obligations.
Commit to continued learning
Participate in affirming-care education, engage with current guidance, learn from community-informed resources, seek supervision or consultation, and stay informed as best practices evolve.
Protect dignity, autonomy, safety, and welfare
Center self-determination, support affirming environments, avoid practices that contribute to stigma or harm, follow professional ethics, and maintain trauma-informed, culturally responsive care.
Keep directory information accurate
Represent services, training, access, insurance, availability, and participation honestly; respond respectfully to concerns; and notify LGBTQIA+ Health NJ when published information needs to be updated.
In day-to-day practice
What community members should be able to experience.
These examples carry forward the practical expectations outlined on the original LGBTQIA+ Health NJ website.
Welcome LGBTQIA+ clients and families without requiring them to educate the provider first.
Use each person’s affirmed name, pronouns, and self-described language consistently.
Support inclusive intake forms, records, documentation, and communication systems when possible.
Protect confidentiality and consider safety before sharing identity-related information.
Engage parents, caregivers, partners, and family members respectfully when appropriate.
Coordinate with schools, referral sources, and care teams only when appropriate and permitted.
How directory levels differ
One directory. Three clearly different signals.
The commitment belongs to the Affirming and Trained participation levels. It is not automatically applied to every listing.
Directory information reviewed.
A Listed Provider has completed the standard listing process. This level does not indicate agreement to the Affirming Care Commitment or completion of the three free trainings.
The commitment made explicit.
An Affirming Provider has reviewed and agreed to this commitment. The three free trainings are not required for this designation.
Commitment plus documented learning.
A Trained Affirming Care Provider has agreed to the LGBTQIA+ Health NJ Affirming Care Commitment and completed all three designated free trainings.
View the three free trainings