New York City will spend $15 million over the next two fiscal years to expand access to “gender-affirming” healthcare, Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced Friday, framing the investment as a response to federal efforts to restrict “transgender” healthcare, particularly for minors.
The funding package includes subsidies for healthcare providers, the creation of a direct care access fund, a transgender call and text hotline, research into LGBTQ+ healthcare access and a pilot program at a clinic in Queens. City officials said the initiative is intended to ensure transgender residents continue receiving healthcare despite increasing federal scrutiny.
Mamdani said the city would defend transgender patients and medical professionals as the Trump administration pursues investigations into providers offering gender-transition treatments for minors.
“While the federal government attacks trans New Yorkers and threatens the providers who care for them, our administration is stepping up,” Mamdani said in a statement. “We will do everything in our power to defend the rights, safety and dignity of transgender New Yorkers and ensure they continue to receive the healthcare they need.”
The mayor also directed the city’s Law Department to prepare for potential legal challenges if the federal government attempts to restrict or block access to gender-affirming care.
Deputy Mayor for Economic Justice Julie Su criticized federal policies, saying attacks on transgender healthcare are “not just cruel, it’s dangerous.” Taylor Brown, director of the Mayor’s Office of LGBTQIA+ Affairs, said the administration’s actions are driven by politics rather than science.
The announcement comes as the Justice Department continues investigating medical providers involved in gender-transition treatments for minors. Last year, federal authorities subpoenaed more than 20 doctors and clinics as part of investigations into possible healthcare fraud, false statements and related offenses.
Former Attorney General Pamela Bondi previously said medical professionals who provided gender-transition treatments for children would be held accountable under federal law. She also directed investigations into the marketing of puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and other medications used in pediatric gender-transition care.
President Donald Trump, shortly after returning to office, signed an executive order prohibiting federal funding or support for gender-transition procedures for minors. The order also instructed federal agencies to enforce laws restricting such treatments for children, per the Daily Mail.
Supporters of gender-affirming care argue the treatments can reduce distress for carefully evaluated patients diagnosed with gender dysphoria and are provided under established clinical guidelines. Critics contend the interventions can carry significant and potentially irreversible health risks while questioning the long-term evidence supporting their use in minors.
The legal debate has intensified following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2025 that upheld Tennessee’s restrictions on puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones and certain gender-transition treatments for minors.
New York City has also challenged federal efforts to obtain medical records from transgender healthcare providers. Earlier this month, a federal judge temporarily blocked the Justice Department from accessing patient records while litigation continues.
Although city officials described the $15 million initiative as an initial investment, some progressive lawmakers argued it falls short. Councilmember Tiffany Cabán called for roughly $60 million in funding, saying transgender youth require greater support. Budget Director Sherif Soliman said the current allocation is “a start” and expressed hope that additional funding could be provided as the city’s finances allow.
