US EditionTexas attorney general: ‘Illegal’ for mental health providers to ‘transition’ kids in state
Texas AG Ken Paxton's opinion classifies affirming therapists as facilitators of illegal treatment, risking license loss and criminal penalties under Senate Bill 14.
- On Monday, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said in a legal opinion that mental‑health providers licensed by the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council fall under S.B. 14, making them subject to its restrictions.
- Facing a law that bans certain surgeries and prescriptions, the council sought legal guidance after noting procedures fall outside mental‑health scope, prompting Paxton's response.
- Citing subsection 161.701, Paxton's memo ties mental health practice to statutory duties, reaffirming that those who 'facilitate' transitions could be engaged in 'child abuse,' as he stated.
- Under Texas law, the attorney general may enforce S.B. 14, potentially triggering probes of families and requiring licensed mental‑health professionals to report colleagues or parents, with criminal penalties for failure.
- Advocates warn the opinion could drive therapists away, worsen access to safe care for transgender youth, and a peer-reviewed study found it doubles suicide attempt risks in the past year.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Paxton Opinion Targets Therapists Behind Child ‘Psychological Transitioning’
Psychiatric providers who help facilitate prohibited treatments may be barred from receiving public funds and could risk losing their licenses. The post Paxton Opinion Targets Therapists Behind Child ‘Psychological Transitioning’ appeared first on Texas Scorecard.
Texas AG Issues Opinion Making It Illegal for Mental Health Providers to ‘Transition’ Children
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a legal opinion on March 2 that says it is illegal for state-licensed mental health care providers to “transition” children. Texas passed Senate Bill 14 in 2023, which banned using “gender-affirming care” procedures such as puberty blockers, hormone therapy, and surgeries to treat gender dysphoria in minors. In Paxton’s opinion, he writes that since SB 14 made it illegal for health care providers to “tran…
Paxton: Texas Transition Ban Includes Mental Health Care
Mental health professionals licensed by the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council are considered healthcare providers under state law and are subject to restrictions tied to Texas' ban on certain gender-transition treatment for minors, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has determined.
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