Dive Brief:
- New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) recently announced his plan to ban LGBT conversion therapy for minors in New York, joining California, Illinois, New Jersey, Oregon, and Washington D.C.
- The new measures will ban public and private healthcare payers from reimbursing costs for conversion therapy for those under age 18. In addition, no mental health facility licensed, operated or funded by the state will be permitted to provide conversion therapy to minors.
- The therapy has been deemed harmful by a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) report stating it is "coercive, can be harmful, and should not be a part of behavioral health treatment." Last April, President Obama voiced his support for efforts to ban the therapy for minors.
Dive Insight:
Additional organizations, such as the American Psychological Association (APA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics have condemned conversion therapy. The "therapy" tries to change or reduce same-sex attraction or alter a person's gender identity.
Conversion therapy has been shown to lead to depression, substance abuse, social withdrawal, suicide, stress, sexual dysfunction, increased self-hatred, feelings of anger and betrayal, etc., according to the APA.
Many LGBT groups applauded Gov. Cuomo's announcement - the Empire State Pride Agenda called it a "victory," adding, "LGBT youth will no longer be driven to suicide by abusive techniques intended to destroy their very identities."
Dr. Warren Siegel, chair of the New York State Academy of Pediatrics said, "Being lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender is not a disease, disorder, illness, deficiency or shortcoming."