KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey sent a letter to Children's Mercy, Planned Parenthood Great Plains and other providers in the state to immediately cease gender-affirming treatment for minors.
The letters come after Senate Bill 49, known as the SAFE Act, went into effect Wednesday. The SAFE Act bans gender transition surgeries on minors and prevents gender-affirming hormones or puberty-blocking drugs to be administered to minors, unless they were receiving treatment prior to Aug. 28.
Bailey sent the letters to Children's Mercy and Planned Parenthood Great Plains in Kansas City, Missouri, and Planned Parenthood St. Louis, Washington University and Southampton Healthcare in St. Louis. A letter was also sent to Aids Project of the Ozarks in Springfield.
In his letter, the attorney general described gender-affirming treatments as "experimental."
"I remind you, too, that any health care provider or entity who knowingly violates the SAFE Act is engaging in professional misconduct as a matter of law and 'shall have his or her license to practice revoked,'" the letter said.
Children's Mercy Hospital sent KSHB 41 a response to Bailey's letter:
"Children’s Mercy is complying with the new law. The care, privacy, and wellbeing of the patients we serve remains our top priority. We acknowledge receipt of the letter published by the Attorney General."
Read Bailey's entire letter here:
