41-18 Ban Conversion Therapy - Laserfiche WebLink

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WHEREAS, the City of Lakewood has a compelling interest in protecting the physical and psychological well -being of minors, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth and in protecting its minors against exposure to serious harms caused by conversion therapy; and WHEREAS, It is the desire of the Council of the City of Lakewood to prohibit the use of conversion therapy with minors, which has been demonstrated to be harmful to the physical and psychological well -being of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender persons; now, therefore, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF LAKEWOOD, OHIO: Section 1. New Subsections 516.01(c) and 516.01(r), Definitions, of the Lakewood Codi- fied Ordinances are hereby enacted to read as follows: 516.01 DEFMTIONS. (q) "Conversion therapy" means any practices or treatments that seek to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic at- tractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender. Conversion therapy shall not include counseling that provides assistance to a person undergoing gender transition, or counseling that provides acceptance, support and under- standing of a person or facilitates a person's coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, including sexual- orientation - neutral intervention to prevent or address conduct or unsafe practices, as long as such counseling does not seek to change an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity. (r) "Mental health professional" means an individual who is licensed, certified or registered under the laws of the State of Ohio to provide, to an individual or group, mental health services, including but not limited to, the assessment or improvement of mental emotional, psychiatric, psychological, or psychosocial adjustment or functioning, regardless of whether there is a diagnosable, pre - existing disorder or disease. Mental health professions include but are not limited to physicians specializing in the practice of psychiatry, psychologists marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers, professions clin- ical counselors, behavioral clinicians or therapists, nurses or any other persons offering such mental health services. Section 2. New Section 516.051, Conversion Therapy lirohibited4or— e—D��ift4&� R€asert, is hereby enacted to read as follows: 516.051 CONVERSION THERAPY PROHIBITED —FOP t-- ^—DW-PJ ANATO No mental health professional shall engage or cause another to engage in con- version therapy with a minor — for —a—d nFy rcasen, without regard to whether the mental health professional is compensated or receives any form of remuneration for his or her services. A violation of this section shall be a dis- criminatory practice.