Texas Attorney General to investigate 2nd children's hospital over reports of gender care provided to minors

HOUSTON (KXAN) -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched his second investigation into a children's hospital in the state within a month.

Paxton announced Friday morning an investigation into Texas Children's Hospital, which is based in Houston, to "determine if the entity is actively engaging in illegal behavior and performing 'gender transitioning' procedures on children," the announcement said.

He did not specify what laws it may have broken, but indicated "I've been clear that any 'gender transitioning' procedures that hurt our children constitute child abuse under Texas law."

“Recent reports indicate that Texas Children’s Hospital may be unlawfully performing such procedures, and my office is working to uncover the truth. I am committed to investigating any entity in our state to ensure that our children are protected," Paxton said in the announcement.

Paxton did not specify which report he was referencing, but there are articles circulating online about Texas Children's Hospital (TCH) after a report claimed the hospital was still offering such care.

TCH is the biggest children’s hospital in the U.S. It released a statement Friday, which can be seen below:

At Texas Children’s Hospital, our mission is to provide high-quality care for all patients. Throughout the policy debate surrounding gender medicine, our healthcare professionals have always and will continue to prioritize the care of our patients within the bounds of the law.

– Texas Children’s Hospital spokesperson

How the two investigation requests differ

Paxton's office launched a similar investigation into Dell Children’s Medical Center in Austin at the beginning of the month. 

Paperwork indicates Paxton's office is asking Texas Children's Hospital to provide documents related to policies and procedures and the use of puberty blockers, as well as information on counseling and treatment for transitioning.

Read the full Request to Examine (RTE) Texas Children's Hospital below:

It sent a similar document to the Austin-based hospital, but that RTE asked about "gender-affirming care," which it defined as "any treatment, including any ranging from surgery to speech therapy, which supports a person in their gender transition.” The one for Texas Children's provided more detailed definitions for treatments such as surgery or puberty blockers.

For LGBTQ mental health support, call the Trevor Project’s 24/7 toll-free support line at 866-488-7386. You can also reach a trained crisis counselor through the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by calling 800-273-8255 or texting 741741.