2SLGBTQ communities face specific health challenges and barriers to accessing care. RHO offers training for healthcare and social service providers to increase their clinical and cultural competency in caring for their 2SLGBTQ service users.
With 2SLGBTQ Health Connect, RHO’s new online learning platform, these trainings are now easily accessible from anywhere across the province. Visit learn.rainbowhealthontario.ca today to register for your learning account and access on-demand and scheduled courses. You will get a certificate of completion for each course that you finish.
Have questions about securing training for your organization? Visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
upcoming courses
For more information on upcoming courses or to register, visit learn.rainbowhealthontario.ca
Rainbow Health Ontario (RHO), a program of Sherbourne Health, developed this seven-module course on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and Two-Spirit (2SLGBTQ) health for healthcare and social service providers. These self-directed modules will help build your foundational knowledge for providing care to 2SLGBTQ people, and can be accessed at your convenience.
This course will heighten your comfort level and competency in providing high-quality inclusive, affirming, welcoming; culturally sensitive care.
Open to anyone, this course is a pre-requisite for all other RHO courses.
Mainpro+ Certification: 3.5 Mainpro-M1 credits (Ontario ONLY).
Click here to learn more and register
Click here to take 2SLGBTQ Foundations in French
This self-directed course is an introduction to providing clinically and culturally competent care to 2SLGBTQ seniors, elders, and older adults. This course will support learners to examine the impact of criminalization, discrimination and stigma on the health of 2SLGBTQ seniors; demonstrate increased clinical and cultural competence with 2SLGBTQ seniors; and provide inclusive and affirming care for 2SLGBTQ older adults.
April 26, 1 – 5 p.m.
Assessing and managing vaginoplasty complications in primary health care. By the end of this course, participants will be able to prepare patients for vaginoplasty to minimize the likelihood or severity of post-operative complications, describe common complications post vaginoplasty, assess concerning symptoms post vaginoplasty, and manage common complications that occur after vaginoplasty
Prerequisites: 2SLGBTQ Foundations and experience working with trans and non-binary people in primary health care.
Open to: ONLY Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Registered Practical Nurses, Physician’s Assistants, and students of these disciplines.
May 16, 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
The course is introduction to 2SLGBTQ trauma-informed care for health and social service providers who work with people who have experienced trauma. The training integrates the approaches, principles, and competencies of 2SLGBTQ cultural competency with those of trauma-informed care. It is aimed at increasing the capacity of organizations and service providers in providing trauma-informed care to members of the 2SLGBTQ communities.
Open to: All health care and social service providers.
May 27, 1 – 5 p.m.
By the end of this course, participants will be able to explain autism from a neurodiverse perspective. recognize how cisnormativity and neuronormativity influences health care and health care access, identify social determinants of health in relation to the intersection of autism and trans and non-binary identities. Participants will also be able to identify how neuronormativity creates and sustains barriers for autistic people trying to access transition-related health care and provide trans-positive health care in the context of interpersonal and systemic discrimination towards autistic people.
Prerequisite: 2SLGBTQ Foundations course. Additionally, RHO strongly recommends learners attend our Trans 101 courses prior to taking this course or have equivalent education or clinical experience. This course requires learners to be well-versed in trans and non-binary identities either through education or equivalent experience.
Open to: Health care and social service providers.
June 11, 1 – 5 p.m.
Join us to learn more about initiating and monitoring puberty suppression for trans and non-binary youth in primary care in Ontario, Canada and about providing collaborative treatment for youth.
Mainpro+ Certification: 4.0 Mainpro-M1 credits (Ontario ONLY)
Prerequisites: 2SLGBTQ Foundations, as well as Transition-Related Hormone Therapy in Primary Health Care course OR experience providing hormone therapy to trans adults.
Open to: Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Physician’s Assistants and students of these professions.
June 13, 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
This session will explore how social stigma and discrimination can affect 2SLGBTQ people’s mental and emotional health, become internalized and how unhealthy coping strategies can develop. We will learn of inclusive counselling tips, intersectional framework that incorporates lived experiences, coming out processes, and psychological supports that can protect the individual, affirm sense of self and promote resilience.
Prerequisite: 2SLGBTQ Foundations.
Open to: All health care and social service providers who provide counselling and advocacy in a variety of settings. Health care and social service students are welcome to take this course. This is an introductory cultural humility and competence module for health care and social service providers with little or no experience with 2SLGBTQ clients.
Future sessions will take place at a later date.
The session addresses creating a positive and welcoming work environment for both 2SLGBTQ staff, clients and volunteers. The workshop will explore various strategies such as specific programs and services, such as HR policies, intake forms, inclusive language, signage, brochures, and online images. We will view various samples of inclusive practices and forms to make your organizational space more 2SLGBTQ friendly.
Prerequisites: 2SLGBTQ Foundations.
Open to: Health care and social service workers
Future sessions will take place at a later date.
After taking this course, attendees will be able to identify social determinants of health and the impact of transphobia for trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming children and youth, provide trans-positive counselling in the context of interpersonal and systemic discrimination that affects mental health, explore with parents of trans and non-binary youth common misconceptions about gender identity and expression, explore gender expression and gender identity with clients who are at the beginning of their journey.
Prerequisite: 2SLGBTQ Foundations
Open to: All health care and social service providers who provide counselling and advocacy in a variety of settings as well as students.
Future sessions will take place at a later date.
Learn to prepare patients for masculinizing surgeries to minimize the likelihood or severity of post-operative complications, describe common complications post masculinizing surgeries, assess concerning symptoms post masculinizing surgeries and manage common complications that occur after masculinizing surgeries.
Mainpro+ Certification: No Mainpro+ certification at this time.
Prerequisite: 2SLGBTQ Foundations AND experience working with trans and non-binary people in primary health care.
Open to: Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Registered Nurses, Physician’s Assistants, and students of these disciplines.
This course will repeat at a later date.
After taking this course, attendees will be able to recognize how cisnormativity influences health care and health care access, identify social determinants of health and the impact of transphobia for trans, non-binary, and gender non-conforming adults and seniors, unpack common counselling issues through the lens of intersectionality and minority stress and explore gender expression and gender identity with clients who are at the beginning of their journey.
Prerequisite: 2SLGBTQ Foundations
Open to: All health care and social service providers who provide counselling and advocacy in a variety of settings as well as students.
This course will repeat at a later date.
This course will help attendees to explain social and legal transition for children, youth, adults, and seniors, explain puberty suppression for trans and non-binary youth, explain transition-related hormone therapy for trans and non-binary adults and seniors, explain which transition-related surgeries are funded by the government of Ontario, Canada for trans and non-binary adults and seniors, recognize that transition is a process and it is unique for every person, and practice according to WPATH’s Standards of Care.
Prerequisite: 2SLGBTQ Foundations, plus it is strongly recommended that prior to taking this course learners attend Trans 101 – Children and Youth AND/OR Trans 101 – Adults and Seniors.
Open to: All health care and social service providers who provide counselling and advocacy in a variety of settings as well as students.