Transgender and intersex inmates now have access to more robust accommodations, which may include hormone therapy in some cases, in Wyoming’s prison system.

The Wyoming Department of Corrections had its first policy for transgender and intersex inmates in 2021, but the procedures were updated for the first time this summer, said spokesperson Stephanie Kiger.

There are 10 transgender inmates in Wyoming’s prisons, but the number “will change” because individuals’ self-identify, Kiger said.

The department of corrections “has always housed transgender inmates.” Inmates already had the opportunity to receive “medically necessary” specialized treatments on a “case-by-case basis,” but the new policy expands upon that.

When specialized treatment is determined necessary, the medical provider must notify the Transgender Review Committee and the Prison Division Administration and provide them with the treatment plan, the updated policy states. Necessary care must be provided to incarcerated individuals under the Eighth Amendment, regardless of gender identity, Kiger said.

“Medical care may include hormone therapy if ordered by a medical professional,” she said. “It also includes mental health treatment.”

The updated policy also includes a new form, which allows inmates to request their identification, search and facility preference — specifically how he or she would like to be identified, what gender employees he or she is comfortable being searched by and any preference on housing.

If an inmate doesn’t agree with the outcome, there is an appeal form.

When an individual requests specific gender pronouns, the department of corrections does what it  can to “reasonably accommodate this request,” she said.

Questions related to gender expression are to be asked in a respectful manner to protect “confidentiality as well as human dignity and avoid subjecting the offender to abuse, humiliation, or ridicule,” the policy states.

“The WDOC has policies and procedures in place to protect vulnerable inmate classifications, which extend beyond gender identification,” Kiger said. “Policy also requires staff to be trained on professionalism and respect for people with different backgrounds.”

On the other hand, the Transgender Review Committee, which is a group of high-level staffers that reviews inmates who identify as transgender or intersex, makes the final decision on where to house people, the policy states.

Although self-identifying as transgender or intersex is never “the sole factor” in determining housing, it is always considered, Kiger said. The inmate is interviewed about “his or her own opinion of his or her vulnerability in male or female units.”

The committee may also recommend an inmate for an individual session with a psychologist or psychiatrist to help in determining an appropriate facility, Kiger said.

However, since Director Daniel Shannon implemented the initial policy in 2021, the department does not permit any physical contact between male and female inmates, Kiger said.

Employees are also never allowed to search or physically examine an inmate for “the sole purpose of determining the inmate’s genital status,” the policy states.

This doesn’t mean offenders are always placed in a facility with the gender they identify with.

“We have had cases in the past where the Wyoming Courts have ordered the WDOC to place a male in the female facility,” Kiger said. In an attempt to “review any threats to safety,” any placement or programming is reassessed at least twice a year, the policy states.