The Colorado Supreme Court ruled 5-2 that Children’s Hospital Colorado must resume gender-affirming care for transgender youth, finding the hospital likely discriminated when it suspended treatment earlier this year. The case now returns to a lower court for an injunction.
The Colorado Supreme Court ruled Monday that Children’s Hospital Colorado must resume gender-affirming care for transgender youth, saying the hospital likely violated state anti-discrimination law when it suspended the treatment earlier this year.
In a 5-2 decision, the court sent the case back to a lower court to enter an injunction requiring the hospital to restore care. The ruling covers treatments such as puberty blockers and hormone therapy for minors.
Children’s Hospital Colorado paused the care in January amid federal threats and legal uncertainty. The lawsuit challenged that decision and argued the hospital had unlawfully singled out transgender patients.
The majority said the evidence was strong enough to support a finding of likely discrimination. The dissent argued the hospital was responding to serious pressure and risk to its operations.
The case is not fully over. The lower court will now handle the injunction, and it is not yet clear how quickly the hospital will resume treatment or whether it will seek further emergency relief.
The ruling is a significant development in a fast-moving legal fight over gender-affirming care in Colorado and could affect other disputes involving providers weighing state protections against federal pressure.
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