This guidance document is provided as Best Practices Guide for California Department of Public Health (CDPH) programs. The foundation of the CDPH SOGI Guidance is based on best practices recommended by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center at the Fenway Institute; and UCLA Williams Institute. All three institutions endorse the three-part SOGI question format, which includes a question on sexual orientation and a two-part question on gender identity consisting of current gender identity and sex assigned at birth on original birth certificate.

This guidance reflects the balance between scientific data collection methodologies and the fluidity of cultural understandings and language related to SOGI identities. The guidance follows best practices from LGBTQIA+ advocacy institutions such as the Fenway Institute, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), and the California Health Interview Survey (which partners with the Williams Institute).