When the RI Trans Health Conference first began, it was run primarily by providers, for providers. Over the years, it became increasingly clear that programming could and should be offered for medical/behavioral health providers as well as for community members. Thus came the Community Track. 

Now, the conference runs two tracks on the same day – one geared towards providers, which costs money and provides CEUs, and one that is free and is geared towards gender diverse community members and their loved ones. The conference would not exist without the income from registration fees, donations, and sponsorships. This allows us to offer the community track free of charge. 

In addition, the Provider Track planning committee and presenters have grown in their number of gender diverse members significantly.

First of all, WELCOME QUEER PROVIDERS! We are so excited you are here. The choice is yours – you may attend either track, or parts of both (see below).

If you have registered for both tracks, you can attend parts of both tracks. However, the community track does have a maximum number of attendees. Therefore, you may not be able to do a walk-in registration on the day of as the Community Track may be full. 

NO. We ask providers who are not gender diverse to spend their day at the Provider Track, where you will have ample opportunity to learn from presenters with lived experience as gender diverse community members. We understand the Community Track programming sounds AMAZING (and it is), so it may be tempting to sign up. However, please keep in mind that the Community Track is designed for a specific audience, and its goal is to hold space for gender diverse community members and their loved ones to gather together. It is important the attendee slots are available for gender diverse individuals. 

YES, if you have registered and paid for a ticket (walk-ins welcome). 

YES. Both the Provider Track and the Community Track will center presenters who have lived experience as gender diverse community members. It is up to the presenters if they want to disclose that information or not. 

YES. There will be programming specifically for gender diverse youth ages 12-18. Teens under 16 must attend the conference with a supportive adult. If the youth prefers, supportive adults can join youth programming or can attend other informational sessions. 

We understand that obtaining childcare can be difficult. IF bringing your child is the only way you are able to attend, we encourage you to make that choice for yourself. Please note the conference will include long periods of quiet for presentations, which may be difficult for young children to sit through. In addition, presentation content is designed for adults unless specified as a teen session.

Yes, please! We are likely to sell out rather quickly and will have a full waiting list. Returning your ticket will ensure that the space does not go unfilled and other community members get access to empowering resources.

The conference is held on a College campus, which can be rather spread out. An interactive map can be found here and a printable map can be found here, and will be printed in the brochure you receive at the conference. Walking between each session can take 2 to 5 minutes.

Conference Volunteers and Rhode Island College Security will be available to assist at all times. To contact security to ask for transportation between buildings, please call 401-456-8888. To report an accessibility concern or discuss accessibility issues that are not related to transportation between buildings, please contact Quinten Foster, the conference’s accessibility coordinator using the contact information provided in your registration packet.

On the day of the conference, all bathrooms will be labeled as “All Gender Restrooms.” There are both single stall and multi stall bathrooms across the campus. Many restrooms are accessible to those who use mobility supports such as wheelchairs and walkers; however, there are no adult-sized hygiene tables at Rhode Island College. Participants who need support with hygiene should plan with this in mind.

There are elevators wherever stairs are required to get between locations. 

Rhode Island College has water-bottle filling stations across the campus. There will also be water bottles available throughout the day.

There will be coffee and snacks in the morning, a hot lunch, and cookies in the afternoon. Lunch will include gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian options. 

Rhode Island College has ample free parking and is accessible via RIPTA bus. The conference is able to provide RIPTA bus passes for Community Track attendees who are unable to obtain their own transportation. Please complete the questions on registration about this and we will contact you.

ASL interpretation will be available. Any conference participants who will need ASL interpretation are encouraged to arrive at the beginning of registration to facilitate easy creation of a plan for the day with the interpretation team. It is vital that participants who know they will need ASL communicate this need during sign-up, so that we can find enough interpreters to match the need.

Printed versions of presentation slides are available upon request, in notes-format, large print, high-contrast, or any combination of those options. Please indicate this need upon sign-up. 

Electronic copies of presentation slides can be made available via shareable link and thumb drive for participants who use screen readers. It is vital this need is communicated at sign-up in order to ensure we have the correct number of copies of the format you need. These slides will not be shared until the morning of the conference, and participants who need this support are encouraged to arrive at the beginning of registration time to ensure they have adequate download and set-up time.

Service animals are welcome at the conference. Service animals are expected to follow all commands of their handlers while on Rhode Island College property. Service animals may be relieved in grassy areas and should be cleaned up after appropriately. In the event of severe weather, please contact Quinten Foster for support in planning how to most easily manage the needs of both service animal and handler.

The 2024 RITHC is dedicated to ensuring an accessible event for all participants. As this is an all-day conference attended by a diverse group of humans, this includes meeting a variety of needs. This year we will have two separate self-care spaces participants may use at their convenience. The QUIET SPACE is a room participants may use to close their eyes for a few minutes, put in their ear plugs, sit in dim lighting, etc. The purpose of this room is to manage overwhelm and certain health-related concerns. The DECOMPRESSION SPACE is a room participants may use to manage big feelings, stim, tic, use fidgets, have a quick cry, or speak to a volunteer. The purpose of this room is to manage triggers and other potentially loud or distracting health-related needs. Locations will be noted in the Community Track brochure you will receive upon arrival and will be clearly marked in the building.

It is our goal to ensure a safe and comfortable place for people who are lactating to pump. While we are not yet sure where this space will be located, there will be a pre-identified lactation room. Please follow up with Quinten Foster or any conference volunteer for support locating and accessing this space.