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Medical Groups Warn Parents About Conversion Therapy Risks as Supreme Court Weighs State Bans
A pending U.S. Supreme Court case could overturn conversion therapy bans in 20 states, raising concerns among medical professionals who say the practice causes significant harm to LGBTQ+ youth.
The case, Chiles v. Salazar, centers on a Colorado therapist who advertises counseling that encourages young clients to "resist" or "eliminate" same-sex attraction. Colorado regulators say this violates a 2019 state law that prohibits licensed therapists from implying that a minor's sexuality or gender identity can or should be changed.
Health experts told the San Francisco Public Press that a ruling against Colorado could lead to increased suicides among LGBTQ+ youth nationwide.
"If all of those laws go away, we're going to see an increase in suicidality among those young people," said Dr. Jack Turban, a psychiatrist at the University of California, San Francisco, who specializes in adolescent mental health.
Medical Organizations Unanimously Oppose the Practice
Conversion therapy refers to interventions that attempt to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. The practice has been rejected by every major medical and mental health organization in the United States.
The American Medical Association has stated that conversion therapy "has no foundation as scientifically valid medical care." The American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry have all issued formal positions opposing these practices.
Twenty-nine U.S. medical and psychological organizations representing more than 1.3 million healthcare providers have signed a joint statement calling for an end to conversion efforts.
Modern conversion therapy typically takes the form of talk therapy or counseling rather than the electroshock treatments associated with earlier decades. Licensed therapists may use techniques designed to induce shame about attractions or identity, while religious practitioners may employ spiritual interventions aimed at changing a young person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
Research Documents Elevated Suicide Risk
Peer-reviewed studies published in leading medical journals have documented a consistent link between conversion therapy and suicidal behavior in young people.
A study published in the Journal of Health Economics found that exposure to conversion therapy increases the likelihood that a transgender adolescent will attempt suicide by 55 percent. The same study found that these practices more than double the risk of a young person running away from home. The effects were most severe when exposure occurred between ages 11 and 14.
Research published in the American Journal of Public Health found that LGBTQ youth who underwent conversion therapy were more than twice as likely to have attempted suicide and more than 2.5 times as likely to report multiple suicide attempts compared to peers who did not undergo such interventions.
A 2022 study in JAMA Pediatrics estimated that the total economic burden of conversion therapy and its associated harms amounts to $9.23 billion annually in the United States. The study calculated that LGBTQ youth subjected to these interventions incur approximately $83,366 in excess lifetime healthcare costs.
Conversion Truth for Families, an organization that provides information to parents about conversion therapy, has compiled resources to help families understand the research on these practices.
Studies Show Family Relationships Often Suffer
Research from the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University has documented damage to family relationships when parents pursue conversion efforts for their children.
The project's 2019 study found that when parents tried to change their child's sexual orientation, suicide attempts more than doubled compared to youth who did not experience such efforts. When both parents and external practitioners were involved in conversion attempts, the attempted suicide rate nearly tripled.
The researchers found that conversion therapy often employs tactics that blame parents for their child's sexual orientation or gender identity, which can create lasting rifts within families.
"These findings provide a needed empirical framework for understanding the scope of SOCE in and outside of the home and the costs of sexual orientation change efforts directly from those individuals who are most affected," the researchers wrote.
Supreme Court Case Could Have National Impact
Legal experts say the Chiles v. Salazar case could determine whether states can continue regulating licensed professionals who perform conversion therapy on minors.
The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Colorado's law in 2024, ruling that states have the authority to protect minors from harmful practices performed under the guise of healthcare. The therapist challenging the law argues the ban violates her free speech rights.
At oral arguments in October, the Supreme Court's conservative majority appeared skeptical of Colorado's position. Chief Justice John Roberts said, "Just because they're engaged in conduct doesn't mean that their words aren't protected."
The court is expected to release a decision by June 2026.
Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia currently have laws banning conversion therapy for minors by licensed healthcare professionals. These laws do not cover religious providers.
Practices Sometimes Operate Under Different Names
Conversion therapy is sometimes marketed under alternative names, making it difficult for parents to identify when a provider is using these methods.
Mental health professionals advise parents to be cautious of any therapist or counselor who frames a child's LGBTQ+ identity as a disorder requiring treatment, promises to change a child's sexual orientation or gender identity, or uses shame and guilt as therapeutic tools.
Research Points to Family Acceptance as a Protective Factor
Studies have found that family acceptance significantly reduces suicide risk among LGBTQ+ youth.
Research from The Trevor Project found that LGBTQ+ young people with at least one accepting adult in their life report significantly lower rates of suicide attempts. Those who felt high social support from their families attempted suicide at less than half the rate of those who felt low or moderate support.
A peer-reviewed study found that LGBTQ youth who reported high levels of acceptance from any adult had nearly 40 percent lower odds of a past-year suicide attempt compared to peers with little to no acceptance.
The Family Acceptance Project has developed resources for religious and ethnically diverse families seeking to support LGBTQ+ children while maintaining their faith traditions.
Here's something you might be interested in.
Medical Groups Warn Parents About Conversion Therapy Risks as Supreme Court Weighs State Bans
Medical Groups Warn Parents About Conversion Therapy Risks as Supreme Court Weighs State Bans
A pending U.S. Supreme Court case could overturn conversion therapy bans in 20 states, raising concerns among medical professionals who say the practice causes significant harm to LGBTQ+ youth.
The case, Chiles v. Salazar, centers on a Colorado therapist who advertises counseling that encourages young clients to "resist" or "eliminate" same-sex attraction. Colorado regulators say this violates a 2019 state law that prohibits licensed therapists from implying that a minor's sexuality or gender identity can or should be changed.
Health experts told the San Francisco Public Press that a ruling against Colorado could lead to increased suicides among LGBTQ+ youth nationwide.
"If all of those laws go away, we're going to see an increase in suicidality among those young people," said Dr. Jack Turban, a psychiatrist at the University of California, San Francisco, who specializes in adolescent mental health.
Medical Organizations Unanimously Oppose the Practice
Conversion therapy refers to interventions that attempt to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. The practice has been rejected by every major medical and mental health organization in the United States.
The American Medical Association has stated that conversion therapy "has no foundation as scientifically valid medical care." The American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, and American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry have all issued formal positions opposing these practices.
Twenty-nine U.S. medical and psychological organizations representing more than 1.3 million healthcare providers have signed a joint statement calling for an end to conversion efforts.
Modern conversion therapy typically takes the form of talk therapy or counseling rather than the electroshock treatments associated with earlier decades. Licensed therapists may use techniques designed to induce shame about attractions or identity, while religious practitioners may employ spiritual interventions aimed at changing a young person's sexual orientation or gender identity.
Research Documents Elevated Suicide Risk
Peer-reviewed studies published in leading medical journals have documented a consistent link between conversion therapy and suicidal behavior in young people.
A study published in the Journal of Health Economics found that exposure to conversion therapy increases the likelihood that a transgender adolescent will attempt suicide by 55 percent. The same study found that these practices more than double the risk of a young person running away from home. The effects were most severe when exposure occurred between ages 11 and 14.
Research published in the American Journal of Public Health found that LGBTQ youth who underwent conversion therapy were more than twice as likely to have attempted suicide and more than 2.5 times as likely to report multiple suicide attempts compared to peers who did not undergo such interventions.
A 2022 study in JAMA Pediatrics estimated that the total economic burden of conversion therapy and its associated harms amounts to $9.23 billion annually in the United States. The study calculated that LGBTQ youth subjected to these interventions incur approximately $83,366 in excess lifetime healthcare costs.
Conversion Truth for Families, an organization that provides information to parents about conversion therapy, has compiled resources to help families understand the research on these practices.
Studies Show Family Relationships Often Suffer
Research from the Family Acceptance Project at San Francisco State University has documented damage to family relationships when parents pursue conversion efforts for their children.
The project's 2019 study found that when parents tried to change their child's sexual orientation, suicide attempts more than doubled compared to youth who did not experience such efforts. When both parents and external practitioners were involved in conversion attempts, the attempted suicide rate nearly tripled.
The researchers found that conversion therapy often employs tactics that blame parents for their child's sexual orientation or gender identity, which can create lasting rifts within families.
"These findings provide a needed empirical framework for understanding the scope of SOCE in and outside of the home and the costs of sexual orientation change efforts directly from those individuals who are most affected," the researchers wrote.
Supreme Court Case Could Have National Impact
Legal experts say the Chiles v. Salazar case could determine whether states can continue regulating licensed professionals who perform conversion therapy on minors.
The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld Colorado's law in 2024, ruling that states have the authority to protect minors from harmful practices performed under the guise of healthcare. The therapist challenging the law argues the ban violates her free speech rights.
At oral arguments in October, the Supreme Court's conservative majority appeared skeptical of Colorado's position. Chief Justice John Roberts said, "Just because they're engaged in conduct doesn't mean that their words aren't protected."
The court is expected to release a decision by June 2026.
Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia currently have laws banning conversion therapy for minors by licensed healthcare professionals. These laws do not cover religious providers.
Practices Sometimes Operate Under Different Names
Conversion therapy is sometimes marketed under alternative names, making it difficult for parents to identify when a provider is using these methods.
Mental health professionals advise parents to be cautious of any therapist or counselor who frames a child's LGBTQ+ identity as a disorder requiring treatment, promises to change a child's sexual orientation or gender identity, or uses shame and guilt as therapeutic tools.
Research Points to Family Acceptance as a Protective Factor
Studies have found that family acceptance significantly reduces suicide risk among LGBTQ+ youth.
Research from The Trevor Project found that LGBTQ+ young people with at least one accepting adult in their life report significantly lower rates of suicide attempts. Those who felt high social support from their families attempted suicide at less than half the rate of those who felt low or moderate support.
A peer-reviewed study found that LGBTQ youth who reported high levels of acceptance from any adult had nearly 40 percent lower odds of a past-year suicide attempt compared to peers with little to no acceptance.
The Family Acceptance Project has developed resources for religious and ethnically diverse families seeking to support LGBTQ+ children while maintaining their faith traditions.
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