Policy Statements

MAFP Statement on “Care for the Transgender and Gender Nonbinary Patient''
(Adopted by MAFP Board of Directors September 2023)

The MAFP supports our members in caring for all people, including transgender and gender nonbinary patients who often have trouble obtaining the care that they need. Furthermore, many states are actively limiting the ability of transgender and gender nonbinary patients to realize their full health potential by restricting access to comprehensive and affirming care.

For these reasons, the MAFP upholds and supports the AAFP’s policy “Care for the Transgender and Gender Nonbinary Patient'' 

Resources:
Fenway Institute 
UCSF Transgender Care 

Reproductive Decisions
(MAFP Board of Directors Statement, September 2023)

MAFP supports the AAFP’s stance and policy on reproductive decisions as stated below:
"The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) encourages all family physicians to provide patient education on contraceptive options at every available opportunity to avoid unintended pregnancies. In the event of an unintended pregnancy, family physicians should educate patients about all options. If a patient desires termination of their pregnancy or adoption, family physicians should provide resources to facilitate those services. If a family physician's beliefs conflict with their ability to provide the requested resources or education, the family physician should ask a colleague to provide this information in a timely fashion rather than omit it. Additionally, the AAFP encourages family physicians to stay informed of all state and federal laws as they apply to reproductive health."

Reference:
AAFP Policy - Reproductive Decisions 

Statement on Systemic Racism
PRESS RELEASE: July 15, 2020

Racism is a Public Health Crisis – A Call to Action by the Maine Academy of Family Physicians, excerpt below.

The Maine Academy of Family Physicians condemns all forms of racism and the structures and systems which perpetuate it. …

The Maine Academy of Family Physicians will:

1. Create a committee to examine structural or systemic racism present within our Academy and urgently and purposefully work to dismantle it. Make discussion of our progress a standing agenda item for all Board meetings.
2. Use our advocacy efforts to diminish the social determinants of health that contribute to health disparities.
3. Actively seek to increase the diversity of our membership and leadership.
4. Educate our members on ways to be involved in ending discriminatory practices and improving racial equity within the communities they serve by actively promoting the AAFP’s Center for Diversity and Health Equity and its “EveryONE Project” as guides: EveryONE Project HERE and making racial equity in health and health care a permanent education topic at the Maine Academy of Family Physicians’ Family Medicine Update, starting in 2021.
5. Hold as a long-term goal to assist in increasing the diversity in Family Medicine by encouraging youth from diverse communities in our state to enter the field of medicine.”