Ord No. 18-17ORDINANCE NO. 18-17
AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE
CITY OF DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA, AMENDING
CHAPTER 133, "OFFENSES AGAINST PERSONS", BY
CREATING A NEW SECTION 133.02, "PROHIBITION OF
CONVERSION THERAPY ON MINORS", PROVIDING THAT
EACH AND EVERY OTHER SECTION AND SUBSECTION
OF CHAPTER 133 SHALL REMAIN IN FULL FORCE AND
EFFECT AS PREVIOUSLY ADOPTED; PROVIDING A
CONFLICTS CLAUSE, A SEVERABILITY CLAUSE, AND
AUTHORITY TO CODIFY; PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE
DATE; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
WHEREAS, as recognized by major professional associations of mental health practitioners
and researchers in the United State and elsewhere for nearly 40 years, being lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender or gender nonconforming, or questioning (LGBT or LGBTQ) is not a mental disease,
disorder or illness, deficiency or shortcoming; and
WHEREAS, the American Academy of Pediatrics in 1993 published an article in its Journal,
stating: "Therapy directed at specifically changing sexual orientation is. contraindicated, since it can
provoke guilt and anxiety while having little or no potential for achieving changes in orientation;" and
WHEREAS, the American Psychiatric Association in December 1998 published its opposition
to any psychiatric treatment, including reparative or conversion therapy, which therapy regime is based
upon the assumption that homosexuality is a mental disorder per se or that a patient should change his
or her homosexual orientation; and
WHEREAS, the American Psychological Association's Task Force on Appropriate
Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation ("APA Task Force") conducted a systematic review of
peer-reviewed journal literature on sexual orientation change efforts ("SOCE"), and issued its report in
2009, citing research that sexual orientation change efforts can pose critical health risks to lesbian, gay,
and bisexual people, including confusion, depression, guilt, helplessness, hopelessness, shame, social
withdrawal, suicidality, substance abuse, stress, disappointment, self -blame, decreased self-esteem and
authenticity to others, increased self -hatred, hostility and blame toward parents, feelings of anger and
betrayal, loss of friends and potential romantic partners, problems in sexual and emotional intimacy,
sexual dysfunction, high-risk sexual behaviors, a feeling of being dehumanized and untrue to self, a loss
of faith, and a sense of having wasted time and resources; and
WHEREAS, following the report issued by the APA Task Force, the American Psychological
Association in 2009 issued a resolution on Appropriate Affirmative Responses to Sexual Orientation
Distress and Change Efforts, advising parents, guardians, young people, and their families to avoid
sexual orientation change efforts that portray homosexuality as a mental illness or developmental
disorder and to seek psychotherapy, social support, and educational services that provide accurate
information on sexual orientation and sexuality, increase family and school support,
rejection of sexual minority youth; and
WHEREAS, the American Psychoanalytic Association in June 2012 issued a position statement
on conversion therapy efforts, articulating that "As with any societal prejudice, bias against individuals
based on actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression negatively affects
mental health, contributing to an enduring sense of stigma and pervasive self-criticism through the
internalization of such prejudice" and that psychoanalytic technique "does not encompass purposeful
attempts to `convert,' `repair,' change or shift an individuals' sexual orientation, gender identity or
gender expression," such efforts being inapposite to "fundamental principles of psychoanalytic
treatment and often result in substantial psychological pain by reinforcing damaging internalized
attitudes; and
WHEREAS, the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry in 2012 published an
article in its Journal stating that clinicians should be aware that there is "no evidence that sexual
orientation can be altered through therapy and that attempts to do so may be harmful;" that there is
"no medically valid basis for attempting to prevent homosexuality, which is not an illness;" and that
such efforts may encourage family rejection and undermine self-esteem, connectedness and caring,
important protective factors against suicidal ideation and attempts; and that, for similar reasons
cumulatively stated above, carrying the risk of significant harm, SOCE is contraindicated; and
WHEREAS, the Pan American Health Organization, a regional office of the World Health
Organization, issued a statement in 2012 stating: "These supposed conversion therapies constitute a
violation of the ethical principles of health care and violate human rights that are protected by
international and regional agreements." The organization also noted that conversion therapies "lack
medical justification and represent a serious threat to the health and well-being of affected people; and
WHEREAS, in 2014 the American School Counselor Association issued a position statement
that states: "It is not the role of the professional school counselor to attempt to change a student's
sexual orientation or gender identity. Professional school counselors do not support efforts by
licensed mental health professionals to change a student's sexual orientation or gender as these
practices have been proven ineffective and harmful;" and
WHEREAS, a 2015 report of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration,
a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, "Ending Conversion Therapy:
Supporting and Affirming LGBTQ Youth" further reiterates based on scientific literature that
conversion therapy efforts to change an individual's sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender
expression is a practice not supported by credible evidence and has been disavowed by behavioral
health experts and associations, perpetuates outdated views of gender roles and identifies, negative
stereotypes, stating, importantly, that such therapy may put young people at risk of serious harm, and
recognizing that, same -gender sexual orientation (including identify, behavior, and attraction) is part of
the normal spectrum of human diversity and does not constitute a mental disorder; and
2 ORD NO. 18-17
WHEREAS, the American College of Physicians wrote a position paper in 2015 opposing the
use of "conversion," "reorientation," or "reparative" therapy for the treatment of LGBT persons,
stating that "[a]vailable research does not support the use of reparative therapy as an effective method
in the treatment of LGBT persons. Evidence shows that the practice may actually cause emotional or
physical harm to LGBT individuals, particularly adolescents or young persons"; and
WHEREAS, at least one federal appeals court found that a prohibition of SOCE does not
violate First Amendment rights and noted that the subject ordinance only required mental health
providers who wish to engage in practices that seek to change a minor's sexual orientation either to
wait until the minor turns 18 or be subject to professional discipline, leaving mental health providers
free to discuss or recommend treatment and to express their views on any topic; and
WHEREAS, the City does not intend to prevent mental health providers from speaking to the
public about SOCE; expressing their views to patients; recommending SOCE to patients;
administering SOCE to any person who is 18 years of age or older; or referring minors to unlicensed
counselors, such as religious leaders. This ordinance does not prevent unlicensed providers, such as
religious leaders, from administering SOCE to children or adults, not does it prevent minors from
seeking SOCE from mental health providers in other political subdivisions or states outside of the City
of Delray Beach, Florida; and
WHEREAS, the City of Delray Beach has a compelling interest in protecting the physical and
psychological well-being of minors, including but not limited to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and
questioning youth, and in protecting its minors against exposure to serious harms caused by sexual
orientation and gender identity change efforts; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission hereby finds the overwhelming research demonstrating that
sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts can pose critical health risks to lesbian, gay,
bisexual, transgender questioning persons, and that being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or
questioning is not a mental disease, mental disorder, mental illness, deficiency, or shortcoming; and
WHEREAS, the City Commission finds minors receiving treatment from licensed therapists in
the City of Delray Beach, Florida, who may be subject to conversion or reparative therapy not
effectively protected by other means, including, but not limited to, other state statutes, local
ordinances, or federal legislation; and
WHEREAS, other municipalities in Palm Beach County, including the City of West Palm
Beach, the City of Riviera Beach, the City of Boynton Beach, and the City of Lake Worth have enacted
ordinances banning SOCK The City Commission believes that, as a result of these bans in
neighboring municipalities, licensed therapists who claim to practice SOCE could relocate to the City;
and
WHEREAS, the City Commission desires to prohibit, within the geographic boundaries of the
City, the practice of sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts on minors by licensed
therapists only, including reparative and/or conversion therapy, which have been demonstrated to be
ORD NO. 18-17
harmful to the physical and psychological well-being of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and
questioning persons.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF DELRAY BEACH, FLORIDA AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. That Chapter 133, "Offenses Against Persons", of the Code of Ordinances of
the City of Delray Beach, Florida, be amended by creating a new Section 133.02, "Prohibition of
Conversation Therapy on Minors" to read as follows:
Sec. 133.02 PROHIBITION OF CONVERSION THERAPY ON MINORS.
(A) Purpose. The intent of this Ordinance is to protect the physical and
psychological well-being of minors, including but not limited to lesbian,, gay, bisexual,
transgender and/or questioning_ youth, from exposure to the serious harms and risks caused by
conversion therapy or reparative therapy by licensed providers including but not limited to
licensed therapists. These provisions are exercises of police power of the City for the public
safety, healthy and welfare, and its provisions shall be liberally construed to accomplish that
lemic
(B) Definitions.
(1) Conversion thera,Py or reparative therapy means, interchangeably, any
counseling practice or treatment performed with the goal of changing an individual's sexual
orientation or gender identity including, but not limited to, efforts to change behaviors, gender
identity or gender expression, or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or
feelings toward individuals of the same gender or sex. Conversion therapy does not include
counseling that provides support and assistance to a person undergoing gender transition or
counseling that provides acceptance, support, and understanding of a person or facilitates a
persons' coping, social support, and development including sexual orientation -neutral
interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices, as long as such
counseling does not seek to change sexual orientation or gender identity.
(2) Minor means anyperson less than eighteen(l8) years of age.
(3) Provider means any person who is licensed by the State of Florida to
provide professional counseling or who performs counseling as part of his or her professional
training under Chapters 456, 458, 459, 490 or 491 of the Florida Statutes, as such chapters may
be amended, including but not limited to, medical practitioners, osteopathic practitioners
psychologists, psychotherapists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and licensed
counselors. A Provider does not include members of the clergy who are acting in their roles as
clergy or pastoral counselors and providing religious counseling to congregants as long as they
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do not hold themselves --out --a-s---operating -:pursuant —t-o—any ---o-f--the —aforementioned —Florida -------
Statutes licenses.
C. Conversation Therapy Prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any Provider to
practice conversion therapy efforts on any individual who is a minor regardless of whether the
person receives monetary compensation in exchange for such services.
D. Penalties.
(1) Any penalty for violation of this section shall be in accordance with
Section 10.99 of the Code.
Section 2. All ordinances or parts of ordinances in conflict be and the same are hereby
repealed.
Section 3. Should any section or provision of this Ordinance or any portion thereof, any
paragraph, sentence, or word be declared by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such
decision shall not affect the validity of the remainder of this Ordinance.
Section 4. Specific authority is hereby given to codify this Ordinance.
Section 5. This Ordinance shall become effective immediately upon adoption.
PASSED AND ADOPTED in regular session on second,'09' r din on this the 2nd day
of May, 2017.
7--
-7�-7 MAYOR
ATTEST:
N /) 6-
-uIL
pity Clerk
First Reading
Second Reading )r4j-
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