NASW Chapters Challenge Conversion Therapy Practices in their States
Chapters
By Paul R. Pace
NASW has supported its chapters in passing laws to ban conversion therapy for minors, also known as reparative therapy. The American Psychological Association defines this practice as attempts to change the sexual orientation of LGBTQ+ individuals to heterosexuality. These attempts include a variety of different methods, ranging from talk therapy to “therapy” focused on aversion, which can include subjecting the individual to pain as a response to their sexual desires.
Many NASW chapters have been involved in challenging conversion therapy practices in their states. Some of the latest advocacy efforts occurred in North Dakota, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio.
North Dakota
The NASW North Dakota Chapter went to great lengths to stop a bill that sought to make conversion therapy “ethical” in North Dakota social work law. House Bill 1430 was defeated during the spring legislative session—but not without significant effort, says Jenna Bieber, MSW, LMSW, communications and membership coordinator at NASW-North Dakota.
According to a report by Bieber, the effort is one example of the advocacy carried out by the chapter’s Advocacy Committee, staff, members, and legislative allies to protect the social work profession. Bieber noted the following:
In March, after passing through the House Human Services Committee and then passing swiftly through the House, HB 1430 was heard in the Senate Human Services Committee. In response, NASW-North Dakota mobilized a team of social workers from across the state to testify in person against the bill.
Chapter President Alison Traynor, along with members Kayla Solem and Amy Phillips, and chapter lobbyist Liz Loos, addressed the committee, voicing strong concerns about the bill’s implications. “The confusing, seemingly contradictory language within HB 1430, as written, opens the door to harmful and unethical practices in the social work profession,” stated Traynor. The team reinforced their position with alarming statistics highlighting the dangers of conversion therapy.
Solem emphasized, “Research shows that 45% of LGBTQ youth seriously considered attempting suicide in the past year. Yet those who felt high social support from their family reported attempting suicide at less than half the rate of those who felt low or moderate social support.”
Loos presented carefully crafted amendments—developed through collaboration with NASW-North Dakota Executive Director Kristin Rubbelke—to eliminate the loophole that would allow conversion therapy.
HB 1430 was heard on the Senate floor March 27. On a slim vote of 22-25, the bill was defeated, upholding ethical standards in social work, safeguarding both practitioners and the individuals they support.
Wisconsin
The NASW Wisconsin Chapter celebrated the State Supreme Court’s decision July 8 in the case Tony Evers v. Howard Marklein. The court’s final decision reaffirms the ability of professions in Wisconsin to set their own conduct code and to stop the harmful practice of conversion therapy. The NASW Legal Defense Fund, through the Wisconsin Chapter, filed two amicus briefs in the matter.
“After seven and a half years of trying to ban the harmful, discredited and unethical practice of conversion therapy and having the rule repeatedly blocked by the Joint Committee on the Review of Administrative Rules, I am thrilled by this ruling,” said NASW Wisconsin Chapter Executive Director Marc Herstand. “Professions have the right to establish their own conduct code, and no social worker should ever engage in the practice of conversion therapy.”
The ruling impacts other rules that affect professions in the state; health and safety standards; environmental standards; building codes; and other issues, Herstand said, noting that the governor called him to thank NASW for its work on the issue.
Michigan
On June 3, NASW joined the American Psychological Association, the Michigan Psychological Association, and the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy to submit an amicus brief to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in the case of Catholic Charities of Jackson, Lenawee, and Hillsdale Counties and Emily McJones v. Gretchen Whitmer et al.
The question before the court relates to whether a state can regulate licensed individuals in a way that may impact their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and practice of religion. This case will determine the constitutionality of Michigan House Bill 4616, which bans licensed mental health professionals from performing conversion therapy on minors within the state. A lower court ruled that HB 4616 is constitutional, but Catholic Charities has appealed the decision. With this amicus brief, NASW provides the court with the current scientific understandings surrounding the harms of conversion therapy and advocates for providing culturally appropriate, comprehensive health and mental health services relating to gender and sexual identity.
NASW said it supports the LGBTQ+ community in all aspects of social work. Allowing for conversion therapy to be an option, when it has shown over time to lead to negative outcomes, would be acting against our core belief of advancing policies and practices that provide culturally appropriate, comprehensive health and mental health services to the LGBTQ+ community, NASW stated.
In accordance with the amicus brief, the parties urge the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals to uphold the ruling of the District Court and allow the ban on conversion therapy to continue in Michigan, regardless of personal or religious belief.
Ohio
A northeastern Ohio county voted to be the state’s first to outlaw conversion therapy. According to an article posted at nbc4i.com, Cuyahoga County’s council unanimously approved the ordinance on Sept. 9, prohibiting health care professionals from engaging in conversion therapy with minors and some “vulnerable” adults.
“The best thing I can say about [conversion therapy] is that it’s medieval,” Council Member Michael Gallagher said in the story. “We really need to protect people, regardless of what our thoughts are or political beliefs might be, and I believe this is the right avenue to take.”
Cuyahoga’s ordinance cites a 2019 UCLA Williams Institute study that found LGBTQ+ youth who have undergone conversion therapy were nearly twice as likely to consider and attempt suicide. Conversion therapy practitioners “operate under the erroneous assumption that non-heterosexual, non-cisgender identities are mental disorders, and that sexual orientation and gender identity can and should be changed,” the ordinance states.
“Practitioners of conversion therapy often employ aversive conditioning, which involves the use of electric shock, deprivation of food and liquid, smelling salts, and chemically induced nausea,” the ordinance states. “The county has a compelling interest in protecting the physical and psychological well-being of minors and vulnerable adults, including LGBTQIA+ individuals.”
The article noted that violators of Cuyahoga’s ordinance could face a series of civil penalties, and the county director of health and human services would notify the relevant licensing board, commission or entity tasked with review of professional conduct.
Liam Strausbaugh, LSW, practice associate at NASW-Ohio, said the chapter is in full support of a statewide ban on conversion therapy, however, this likely will be an uphill battle given the current state legislature. There is a bill introduced in the Ohio Senate, SB 71, that would ban conversion therapy for minors, but it has not yet had any hearings.
“NASW Ohio will certainly testify in support of this bill if/when it is open for testimony,” Strausbaugh said.
According to September 2025 data posted at lgbtmap.org, the following percentages reflect estimates of the LGBTQ youth (ages 13-17) population living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.
- 49% of LGBTQ youth live in states that prohibit licensed health care providers from subjecting minors to conversion therapy.
- 10% of LGBTQ youth live in states that restrict, but do not prohibit, licensed health care providers from subjecting minors to conversion therapy.
- 27% of LGBTQ youth live in states with no state laws or policies about conversion therapy.
- 14% of LGBTQ youth live in states that prohibit or deter local-level laws protecting youth from conversion therapy.