Ban SOGI change efforts

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, “SOGI change efforts, commonly referred to as ‘conversion therapy’ or ‘reparative therapy,’ are practices that aim to suppress or alter an individual’s sexual orientation or gender to align with heterosexual orientation, cisgender identity, and/or stereotypical gender expression.”[1] SOGI change efforts have been linked to increased risk for psychological distress, suicidality, and depression.[1] About 698,000 LGBTQ+ adults have been subject to SOGI change efforts, with about half subject to the efforts in adolescence.[2] SOGI change efforts have been performed by licensed mental health providers as well as unlicensed providers and faith leaders.[3]

The Biden Administration has called on the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to ensure that federally funded health services are not used for SOGI change efforts.[4] The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act, as introduced in the 118th Congress, would ban SOGI change efforts and identify it as a fraudulent practice.[5][6] While several states have banned SOGI change efforts, federal legislation should be passed to ban the harmful practice, restrict federal funding, and define the efforts as consumer fraud.[1][3]