NASW-Colorado Chapter Statement on U.S. Supreme Court Decision Impacting Colorado’s Ban on Conversion Therapy for Minors

The National Association of Social Workers – Colorado Chapter (NASW-CO) is alarmed and unequivocally opposed to today’s decision from the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Colorado’s law prohibiting the practice of conversion therapy with minors.

This decision removes a critical, evidence-based protection for young people and places LGBTQ+ youth at increased risk of serious and preventable harm.

Conversion therapy is not care. It is a practice that has been widely discredited by every major mental health organization and is consistently linked to increased rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide. These outcomes are not theoretical—they are well-documented and devastatingly real for young people subjected to these interventions.

Colorado’s law existed because the state recognized its responsibility to protect minors from practices that endanger their mental health and well-being. Today’s decision strips away that protection and creates a pathway for harm under the false framing of therapeutic intervention.

As social workers, we are bound by an ethical commitment to do no harm and to promote the dignity and worth of every person. Practices that attempt to change or suppress a young person’s identity violate the core principles of our profession and undermine the trust that is foundational to effective mental health care.

The impact of this decision will not be limited to Colorado. It places similar protections in other states at risk and threatens to reverse years of progress toward ensuring that mental health care for LGBTQ+ individuals is affirming, ethical, and grounded in evidence.

NASW-CO calls on policymakers, regulators, and mental health professionals to take immediate and deliberate action in response to this decision. This includes:

• Pursuing alternative policy and regulatory pathways to protect minors from harmful practices

• Reinforcing and upholding professional ethical standards that prohibit conversion therapy in practice

• Expanding access to affirming, evidence-based care for LGBTQ+ youth and their families

• Continuing to educate communities about the harms of conversion therapy and the importance of affirming care

We want to be clear: affirming care is not optional—it is essential. LGBTQ+ youth deserve access to care that supports their well-being, respects their identity, and fosters resilience—not interventions that attempt to erase or change who they are.

To LGBTQ+ youth, families, and communities: we see you, and we stand with you. You deserve care that affirms your identity and supports your well-being. NASW-CO will continue to advocate—alongside our partners at the state and national level—for policies and practices that prioritize safety, dignity, and the right of all individuals to receive competent, affirming mental health care.

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The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) is the largest membership organization of professional social workers in the world, boasting a membership of approximately 120,000 in 56 state, territorial, and international chapters. 

The Colorado Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers is a professional association that advocates for the promotion, development and protection of its members, the profession of social work and social work values.