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<section article="gho" article_name="Health Occupations" number="1-212.1" title_number="1" title_name="Definitions; General Provisions" subtitle_number="2" subtitle_name="General Provisions">
  <level label="a">
    <level label="1">
      <text>In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>“Conversion therapy” means a practice or treatment by a mental health or child care practitioner that seeks to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>“Conversion therapy” includes any effort to change the behavioral expression of an individual’s sexual orientation, change gender expression, or eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same gender.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>“Conversion therapy” does not include a practice by a mental health or child care practitioner that:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Provides acceptance, support, and understanding, or the facilitation of coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, including sexual orientation–neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Does not seek to change sexual orientation or gender identity.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>“Mental health or child care practitioner” means:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>A practitioner licensed or certified under Title 14, Title 17, Title 18, Title 19, or Title 20 of this article; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Any other practitioner licensed or certified under this article who is authorized to provide counseling by the practitioner’s licensing or certifying board.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>A mental health or child care practitioner may not engage in conversion therapy with an individual who is a minor.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>A mental health or child care practitioner who engaged in conversion therapy with an individual who is a minor shall be considered to have engaged in unprofessional conduct and shall be subject to discipline by the mental health or child care practitioner’s licensing or certifying board.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>No State funds may be used for the purpose of:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Conducting, or referring an individual to receive, conversion therapy;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Providing health coverage for conversion therapy; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Providing a grant to or contracting with any entity that conducts or refers an individual to receive conversion therapy.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The Department shall adopt regulations necessary to implement this section.</text>
  </level>
</section>
