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SB 348

Mental health: children; conversion therapy; prohibit. Amends 1974 PA 258 (MCL 330.1001 - 330.2106) by adding sec. 901a. TIE BAR WITH: SB 0349'23

2023-2024 Regular Session Introduced by Sarah Anthony and 17 co-sponsors

Michigan bill prohibiting licensed mental health providers from performing conversion therapy on minors, with enforcement mechanisms against practitioners who violate the ban.

REASSIGNED TO COMMITTEE ON HOUSING AND HUMAN SERVICES
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Bill Summary · SB 348

Legislative bill overview

SB 348 would amend Michigan's mental health code to prohibit licensed mental health professionals from practicing conversion therapy on minors. The bill defines conversion therapy as treatment aimed at changing sexual orientation or gender identity and establishes penalties for violations. It is tied to SB 349, which likely contains related provisions.

Why is this important

Conversion therapy is widely rejected by major medical organizations (AMA, APA, AAP) as ineffective and harmful, with research linking it to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide among youth. This bill would provide legal protection to Michigan minors by preventing licensed practitioners from offering such treatments, though it would not restrict unlicensed individuals or religious counseling that doesn't explicitly claim therapeutic conversion.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope and enforcement: Questions about whether the prohibition adequately covers all practitioners and settings, or if it creates loopholes for religious contexts and unlicensed practitioners
  • Parental consent and authority: Tension between protecting minors and parental decision-making authority over children's medical care, particularly regarding religious beliefs
  • Definition precision: Determining exactly which therapeutic practices cross the line into prohibited "conversion therapy" versus legitimate mental health counseling on identity issues or related distress

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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