Children’s Minnesota to halt gender-affirming treatments amid federal pressure

Children’s Minnesota said it might temporarily stop certain gender-affirming medical treatments for minors.

In a message posted to its Gender Health Program webpage, the hospital said it had “recently experienced an increase in federal actions directed at pediatric health systems like ours that provide this care.” 

The statement said those actions “jeopardize the stability of Minnesota’s only comprehensive pediatric health care system.” The hospital said the actions threaten clinicians’ ability to practice medicine.

“If conditions remain the same, we plan to temporarily pause prescribing puberty-suppressing medications and pubertal hormones (estrogen and testosterone) for patients under age 18 in our Gender Health program, effective Friday, Feb. 27, 2026,” said the hospital.

The hospital said it’s a difficult decision.

“Children’s Minnesota remains committed to advocating for the patients and families and stand firmly behind the fact that gender affirming care is evidence-based and lifesaving for transgender and gender diverse youth.”

Children’s said the Gender Health program is not closed.

“We continue to provide supportive care, mental health services and guidance regarding medical and non-medical treatment options.”

Federal memo outlined new restrictions

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reached out to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) for comment. A spokesperson directed us to a Dec. 18, 2025, memo detailing proposed regulatory actions aimed at ending what it called “sex‑rejecting procedures on children.”

The memo said the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services planned to propose a rule barring hospitals from performing these procedures on minors as a condition of participation in Medicare and Medicaid.

A separate proposal would prohibit federal Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) funding for these procedures for individuals under 18, or under 19 for CHIP.

The memo defined these procedures to include puberty blockers, cross‑sex hormones, and surgical interventions, and said they exposed minors to irreversible damage, including infertility, reduced bone density, and altered brain development.

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. signed a declaration stating that these procedures did not meet professionally recognized health care standards and that practitioners who performed them on minors would be deemed out of compliance. HHS said the declaration was based on a peer‑reviewed study.

“Under my leadership, and answering President Trump’s call to action, the federal government will do everything in its power to stop unsafe, irreversible practices that put our children at risk,” Kennedy said.

In January, HHS General Counsel Mike Stuart said on X that he had referred six children’s hospitals for federal investigation, including Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, alleging they continued providing what he called “sex‑rejecting procedures” for minors despite federal warnings.

Minnesota lawmaker reacts to the announcement

State Representative Leigh Finke felt that Children’s had been placed in a tough spot.

“That’s a very sad day for our community. You know, Children’s Minnesota was put in an impossible situation by the federal government, who has been trying to end gender affirming care for minors and for adults, and this is a step that many of us saw coming, but we are devastated nonetheless,” she said

Finke is the first openly transgender woman in the Minnesota state legislature. She said a pause would be devastating for families.

“It means additional uncertainty. It means additional fear,” she said.

She said many families had moved to Minnesota specifically for access to this care.

“A lot of people have, have really worked very, very hard to ensure that their child has essential lifesaving, scientifically sound health care for their trans or non-binary child, and to go through the work that that often takes only to have it paused. It’s devastating.”

Finke said gender‑affirming care remains legal in Minnesota and that state leaders are working to protect access.

She said she expected the pause to be temporary.

5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reached out to Minnesota House and Senate Republicans for comment and is waiting for a response.

Advocacy organization: Families are heartbroken

Kat Rohn, executive director of OutFront Minnesota, said she was heartbroken for families affected by the potential pause.

“I mean, I’m first of all deeply heartbroken and saddened for the families who are impacted by this decision,” Rohn said. “I know that there are hundreds, if not 1,000s, of transgender youth who are accessing care like this in the state of Minnesota and across the country.”

Rohn said the next several months would likely be turbulent as courts and federal agencies moved through the rulemaking process.

“One of the things that we put out in a public statement that we made is just encouraging youth and families who are concerned about their access to care, to have those conversations with their providers, to think about the steps they can take to solidifying and strengthening the care that they have right now,” Rohn said.

Rohn also offered a message to transgender youth.

“No matter what you are, beautiful, you are loved in the state of Minnesota, and organizations like ourselves will do everything we can to protect and support you, no matter what the policies are, no matter how things move in the care environment,” Rohn said.

Minnesota Queer Legislators Caucus issues statement

The Minnesota Bicameral Queer Legislators Caucus issued a statement after Children’s Minnesota announced it would pause some gender‑affirming care services.

The caucus said:

“Today, Children’s Minnesota announced it will be putting a pause on some gender affirming care (GAC) services due to ongoing federal actions against trans healthcare, and retribution against Minnesota’s trans community, which threatens to close Children’s Minnesota entirely.”

The caucus said the threats were part of a broader federal effort to pressure hospitals through executive orders, funding threats, and investigations.

“We are deeply saddened and upset that this moment has come. Any loss of access to healthcare in Minnesota — even temporarily — is unacceptable. Targeting vulnerable trans kids in this way is simply horrific.”

The caucus said gender‑affirming care remained legal in Minnesota and vowed to protect access.

“Gender affirming care for patients of all ages is still legal in Minnesota. We will do everything in our power, to the bitter end, to ensure it remains so.”

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in January, arguing that a new federal policy unlawfully conditioned billions in health, education, and research funding on states’ agreement to adopt restrictive definitions of sex and gender that conflicted with Minnesota law.

RELATED: Federal agencies seek DOJ action against Minnesota over trans athlete policies

Minnesota’s transgender athlete policies had come under federal scrutiny because the state allowed students to participate in sports consistent with their gender identity, which conflicted with the Trump administration’s interpretation of Title IX.

We also reached out to Ellison’s office for comment on the Children’s announcement, but did not hear back.