HB 452 — Mental Health Protection Act.

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA H.B.SESSION 2021 H 1 HOUSE BILL 452 Short Title:

452 Mar 30, 2021 SESSION 2021 HOUSE PRINCIPAL CLERK H D HOUSE BILL DRH30226-NB-10B Short Title:

For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.

Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House March 31, 2021 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF MINORS AND ADULTS WHO HAVE DISABILITIES FROM ATTEMPTS TO CHANGE SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY.

"[T]he[AmericanPsychologicalAssociation]advisesparents,guardians,youngpeople,andtheir"[T]he[AmericanPsychological Association]advisesparents,guardians, youngpeople,andtheir families to avoid sexual orientation change efforts that portray homosexuality as a mental illness or developmental disorder and to seek psychotherapy, social support, and educational services that provide accurate information on sexual orientation and sexuality, increase family and school support, and reduce rejection of sexual minority youth.";

and *DRH30226-NB-10B**H452-v-1* General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 Whereas, in 2013, the American Psychiatric Association stated:

"The American PsychiatricAssociationPsychiatric Association does not believethatsame-sexorientationbelievethatsame-sex shouldorientation orshouldorneeds needs to bechanged, and efforts to do so represent a significant risk of harm by subjecting individuals to forms of treatment which have not been scientifically validated and by undermining self-esteem when sexual orientation fails to change.

No credible evidence exists that anyanymental mental health intervention can reliably and safely change sexual orientation;

"Aversion therapy (a behavioral or medical intervention which pairs unwanted behavior, in this case, homosexual behavior, with unpleasant sensations or aversive consequences) is no longer recommended for gaygaymen men and lesbians.

"Weoppose'thepromotionof"reparativetherapy""Weoppose 'thepromotion of"reparativetherapy" as a"cure" for individuals who are homosexual.'";

and Whereas, in 2014, the American Association of SexualitySexualityEducators, Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT) issued a statement, stating:

and Whereas, a 2018 studystudyby by the FamilyFamilyAcceptance Acceptance Project found the following:

Suicide attempts nearly tripled for LGBT young people who Page 2 DRH30226-NB-10BHouse Bill 452-First Edition General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 reported both home-based efforts to change their sexual orientation by parents and intervention efforts by therapists and religious leaders (63%)." "High levels of depression more than doubled (33%) for young people whose parents tried to change their sexual orientation compared with those who reported no conversion experiences (16%), and more than tripled (52%) for LGBT young people who reported both home-based effortstoefforts to changetheirsexual orientation byparents and external sexual orientation changeefforts by therapists and religious leaders.";

and Whereas, North Carolina desires to protect its citizens within the State from harmful and discredited efforts to change sexual orientation or gender identity, including so-called "conversion" or "reparative" therapy, because such efforts lack medical justification, are unethical, violatefundamental humanrights principles,andprinciples,andput put peopleat risk ofsuicideandother long-term physical and psychological harms;

Chapter 90 of the General Statutes is amended bybyadding adding a new Article to read:

Conversion therapytherapyshall shall not include counseling that provides assistance to an individual undergoing gender transition or counseling that provides acceptance, support, and understanding of an individual or facilitates an individual's coping, social support, and identityidentityexploration exploration and development, including sexual-orientation-neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices, as long as such counseling does not seek to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity.

DRH30226-NB-10BHouse Bill 452-First Edition Page 3 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2021 (a) ThefollowingThefollowingprofessionals professionals shall not engagein conversionconversiontherapywith therapy with an individual under 18 years of age or an adult who has a disability:

(4) Psychiatrist licensedinlicensed in accordancewith Article1ofChapter90ofArticle1ofChapter90 of theGeneral Statutes.

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