,,iv #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,,con4 ,,res4 #fi ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,december #d1 #bjac,ms4 ,speier 7for herself1 ,mr4 ,cicilline1 ,mr4 ,deutch1 ,mr4 ,ellison1 ,mr4 ,grijalva1 ,mr4 ,keating1 ,mr4 ,moran1 ,ms4 ,tsongas1 ,mr4 ,sean ,patrick ,maloney of ,new ,york1 ,ms4 ,schwartz1 ,ms4 ,schakowsky1 ,mr4 ,mc,govern1 ,ms4 ,mc,collum1 ,mr4 ,pocan1 ,mrs4 ,davis of ,california1 and ,mr4 ,lowenthal7 submitted the following concurrent resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,energy and ,commerce ,,concurrent ,,resolution ,expressing the sense of ,congress that efforts by mental health practitioners to change an individual's sexual orientation is dangerous and harmful and should be prohibited from being practiced on minors4 ,whereas being lesbian1 gay1 bisexual1 transgender1 or gender nonconforming is not a disorder1 disease1 illness1 deficiency1 or shortcoming2 ,whereas the ,american ,psychological ,association's #bjjh resolution on ,transgender1 ,gender ,identity1 and ,gender ,expression ,non-discrimination states that discrimination and prejudice against people based on their actual or perceived gender identity or expression detrimentally affects psychological1 physical1 social1 and economic well-being2 ,whereas the development of all children and adolescents into healthy and productive adults is a national priority and ending prejudice and injustice based on sexual orientation and gender nonconformity is a human rights issue2 ,whereas the ,american ,academy of ,pediatrics1 the ,american ,counseling ,association1 the ,american ,psychiatric ,association1 the ,american ,psychological ,association1 the ,american ,school ,counselor ,association1 the ,national ,association of ,school ,psychologists1 and the ,national ,association of ,social ,workers1 together representing more than #dhj1jjj health and mental health professionals1 have all taken the position that homosexuality is not a mental disorder and thus is not something that needs to be or can be cured2 ,whereas the ,american ,psychological ,association1 ,american ,psychiatric ,association1 ,national ,association of ,social ,workers1 ,american ,counseling ,association ,governing ,council1 and ,american ,psychoanalytic ,association have not found sexual orientation change efforts to be safe or effective2 ,whereas the ,american ,psychological ,association's #bjji resolution on ,appropriate ,affirmative ,responses to ,sexual ,orientation ,distress and ,change ,efforts concludes there is insufficient evidence to support the use of psychological interventions to change sexual orientation2 ,whereas the ,american ,psychiatric ,association has opposed since #bjjj any psychiatric treatment1 such as reparative or conversion therapy1 which is based upon the assumption that homosexuality per se is a mental disorder or based upon the a priori assumption that a patient should change his_/her homosexual orientation2 ,whereas the ,american ,psychological ,association's ,task ,force on ,appropriate ,therapeutic ,responses to ,sexual ,orientation's systematic review of peer-reviewed journal literature on sexual orientation change efforts concluded that attempts to change sexual orientation may cause or exacerbate distress and poor mental health in some individuals1 including depression and suicidal thoughts2 ,whereas the ,american ,psychological ,association issued a resolution on ,appropriate ,affirmative ,responses to ,sexual ,orientation ,distress and ,change ,efforts in #bjji advising parents1 guardians1 young people1 and their families to avoid sexual orientation change efforts that portray homosexuality as a mental illness or developmental disorder and to seek psychotherapy1 social support1 and educational services that provide accurate information on sexual orientation and sexuality1 increase family and school support1 and reduce rejection of sexual minority youth2 ,whereas the ,american ,academy of ,child and ,adolescent ,psychiatry published a practice principles in #bjab in the ,journal of the ,american ,academy of ,child and ,adolescent ,psychiatry stating ,principle #f3 ,clinicians should be aware that there is no evidence that sexual orientation can be altered through therapy1 and that attempts to do so may be harmful1 and finding that ,there is no empirical evidence adult homosexuality can be prevented if gender nonconforming children are influenced to be more gender conforming4 ,indeed1 there is no medically valid basis for attempting to prevent homosexuality1 which is not an illness4 ,on the contrary1 such efforts may encourage family rejection and undermine self-esteem1 connectedness and caring1 important protective factors against suicidal ideation and attempts4 ''' ,given that there is no evidence that efforts to alter sexual orientation are effective1 beneficial or necessary1 and the possibility that they carry the risk of significant harm1 such interventions are contraindicated42 ,whereas the ,national ,association of ,social ,workers prepared a #aiig policy statement in which it stated ,social stigmatization of lesbian1 gay and bisexual people is widespread and is a primary motivating factor in leading some people to seek sexual orientation changes4 ,sexual orientation conversion therapies assume that homosexual orientation is both pathological and freely chosen4 ,no data demonstrates that reparative or conversion therapies are effective1 and1 in fact1 they may be harmful42 ,whereas the ,american ,counseling ,association ,governing ,council issued a position statement in ,april of #aiii in which it stated ,we oppose the promotion of reparative therapy as a cure for individuals who are homosexual42 ,whereas the ,american ,psychoanalytic ,association updated its position statement in ,june #bjab1 on attempts to change sexual orientation1 gender1 identity1 or gender expression1 and in the statement the association states ,as with any societal prejudice1 bias against individuals based on actual or perceived sexual orientation1 gender identity or gender expression negatively affects mental health1 contributing to an enduring sense of stigma and pervasive self-criticism through the internalization of such prejudice4 ,psychoanalytic technique does not encompass purposeful attempts to convert1 repair1 and change or shift an individual's sexual orientation1 gender identity or gender expression4 ,such directed efforts are against fundamental principles of psychoanalytic treatment and often result in substantial psychological pain by reinforcing damaging internalized attitudes42 ,whereas in #bjaj1 the ,world ,professional ,association for ,transgender ,health released a statement urging the de-pathologization of gender variance in which it states ,the expression of gender characteristics1 including identities1 that are not stereotypically associated with one's assigned sex at birth is a common and culturally diverse human phenomenon which should not be judged as inherently pathological or negative42 ,whereas research by ,caitlyn ,ryan et al4 entitled ,family ,rejection as a ,predictor of ,negative ,health ,outcomes in ,white and ,latino ,lesbian1 ,gay1 and ,bisexual ,adults published in #bjji1 found that certain young people experienced sexual orientation change efforts as a form of rejection1 and that minors who experience family rejection based on their sexual orientation face especially serious health risks and that such youth were #h4d times more likely to report having attempted suicide1 #e4i times more likely to report high levels of depression1 and #c4d times more likely to use illegal drugs compared with peers from families that reported no or low levels of family rejection2 and ,whereas several ,states have enacted or are considering legislation and other measures to prohibit sexual orientation change efforts in children and adolescents3 ,now1 therefore1 be it #a4 ,short title ,this resolution may be cited as the ,stop ,harming ,our ,kids ,resolution of #bjac4 #b4 ,sense of ,congress regarding sexual orientation change efforts directed at minors 7a7 ,in general ,it is the sense of ,congress that sexual orientation change efforts directed at minors are discredited and ineffective1 have no legitimate therapeutic purpose1 and are dangerous and harmful4 7b7 ,state encouragement ,congress encourages each ,state to take steps to protect minors from efforts that promote or promise to change sexual orientation or gender identity or expression based on the premise that being lesbian1 gay1 bisexual1 transgender1 or gender nonconforming is a mental illness or developmental disorder that can or should be cured4 7c7 ,sexual orientation change efforts defined ,in this resolution1 the term sexual orientation change efforts means any practice by a licensed mental health provider1 health care provider1 or counselor that seeks or purports to impose change of an individual's sexual orientation or gender identity or expression1 including reducing or eliminating sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward a person of the same gender and efforts to change behaviors1 gender identity1 or gender expression4 ,such term does not include counseling that-- 7#a7 7,a7 provides acceptance1 support1 and understanding of a person2 7,b7 facilitates a person's coping1 social support1 and identity exploration and development2 7,c7 provides developmentally appropriate counseling for a person seeking to transition from one gender to another2 or 7,d7 provides sexual orientation- and gender identity-neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices2 and 7#b7 does not seek to change sexual orientation or gender identity or expression4