PATH Frequently Asked Questions

Anyone who meets All of the following criteria:

1. Transgender or Gender Diverse
2. 16 or older
3. Resident of the Charlotte Metro Area
   • Limited funding also available for residents of the Charlotte Metro Area including Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Rowan, and Union Counties in NC, and Chester, Lancaster, and York Counties in SC.
   • The type and amount of services available depends on your county of residency.
4. Uninsured or Underinsured
   • Underinsured meaning you have trouble affording care for any reason including high deductibles, high copays/ coinsurance, or an insurance plan that doesn’t cover the needed services.

Our Case Managers are the initial point of contact and help coordinate your care. They will work with you to find a therapist or medical care provider among our providers who meets your individual needs. They will also connect you to other local resources depending on your needs (ex. food bank, employment and educational opportunities, housing assistance, legal services). Overall, the Case Managers are there to get you connected and support you on your unique wellness path.

If you are a resident of Mecklenburg County: yes! You don’t have to choose between medical and mental health services. Our case manager is there to help connect you to providers and other resources.

If you live in the broader Charlotte Metro area: at this time we are only able to offer mental health services. Our Case Managers may still be able to connect you to low cost medical centers and other community resources to help you get affordable, affirming care.

Our primary funding for direct services will end in Spring 2026. While we are continuing to identify other funding sources, the majority of care will likely become more limited or possibly end at that time. Our Case Managers will also be available to help folks connect to other pro bono or low cost resources.

Residents of Mecklenburg County:

• Therapy– sessions are available in batches of 15 sessions. Your therapist may request additional sessions, which will be allocated based upon several factors, such as funding availability, clinical need, and attendance/missed appointments.
• Medical– Most general, preventative, and gender-affirming medical appointments and labs are covered by PATH. Our contracted providers have a specific list of services that PATH covers. If you require specialized medical care that is not covered, then payment arrangements can be discussed with the medical practice under their sliding scale services or the PATH Case Manager, who may be able to assist with referrals to other low cost medical services for those specific services.
• Psychiatry – Most general psychiatric medication management needs are covered by PATH. Case Managers will assist you with referrals to contracted providers with PATH.
• Pharmacy– Each PATH participant will be eligible for an allowance for prescription medications. PATH is contracted with local pharmacies. This way the pharmacy is reimbursed directly by PATH and nothing comes out of your pocket until your allowance has been fully used. We anticipate this budget will cover up to 12 months of HRT.

NC Charlotte Metro Residents (Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Rowan, and Union Counties):

• Therapy- sessions are available in batches of 15 sessions. Your therapist may request additional sessions, which will be allocated based upon several factors, such as funding availability, clinical need, and attendance/missed appointments.
• Psychiatry – Most general psychiatric medication management needs are covered by PATH. Case Managers will assist you with referrals to contracted providers with PATH.
• Pharmacy- Each PATH participant will be eligible for a limited allowance for prescription medications. PATH is contracted with local pharmacies. This way the pharmacy is reimbursed directly by PATH and nothing comes out of your pocket until your allowance has been fully used. We anticipate this budget will cover up to 3 months of HRT.

SC Charlotte Metro Residents (Chester, Lancaster, and York Counties in SC): Due to funding limitations, we are only able to offer 10 sessions of therapy for each participant. This support is also on a first come first serve basis. If you require additional sessions, our Case Managers will talk with you about sliding scale options with your current therapist as well as possible referrals, if needed.

Medical care is currently only available to residents of Mecklenburg County. PATH is covering primary medical care. This includes visits to a primary care provider (PCP), or the doctor you would see for care, such as an annual physical or minor illnesses and injuries. We are also able to cover some vaccines, labs, and STI tests given at the PCP office. If you require specialized medical care that is not covered, then payment arrangements can be discussed with the medical practice under their sliding scale services or the PATH Case Manager, who may be able to assist with referrals to other low cost medical services for those specific services.

PATH does not include:

• Emergency room visits
• Medical specialists (ex. Cardiologist, Endocrinologist, etc.)
• Imaging & advanced diagnostics (ex. MRI, X-Ray, Oncology labs)
• Gender-affirming surgery

We have contracts with 2 local pharmacies. If you fill the prescriptions at that pharmacy, we will reimburse the pharmacy for you and there will be no initial cost to you. The Case Manger can discuss other options as needed. This service is currently only available to residents of North Carolina and is limited for residents of Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Rowan, and Union Counties

All services through PATH are offered through subcontracting agreements with individual providers who are able to demonstrate a commitment to and continuing education in gender-affirming care. If your provider is not a member of Charlotte Trans Health, we will assist you in reaching out to your provider to determine their interest and eligibility to join the program as a contracted provider. Providers must contract with the PATH Program to be eligible to be reimbursed for services. If we are not able to establish that contract, we will not be able to pay the provider. You are welcome to continue seeing them at your own expense if you would like, but we can also connect you to another provider who is included in the program.