Well, I have 2 responses to this. The first is that horribly restrictive
laws are being passed in many states, North Carolina and Mississippi, for
example, and this has to do with ALEC, gerymandering, and the Republican
takeover of so many state governments. But my other response is that
successful psychotherapy depends on the skill, empathy, and perceptiveness
of the therapist. If the therapist is unsympathetic or outright hostile to
the patient, then no law can cause a positive outcome, and the lack of
restrictive laws can't cause hostile therapists to provide effective
therapy.
Miriam
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Carl Jarvis
Sent: Thursday, April 07, 2016 1:09 PM
To: blind-democracy
Subject: [blind-democracy] Bill Allows Therapists and Counselors to Refuse
Service to Anyone Based on Their 'Sincerely Held Religious Beliefs'
Report from Tennessee:
Bill Allowing Therapists and Counselors to Refuse Service to Anyone Based on
Their 'Sincerely Held Religious Beliefs'
by
DAVID BADASH
April 06, 2016 1:54 PM
Bill Allows Therapists and Counselors to Refuse Service to Anyone Based on
Their 'Sincerely Held Religious Beliefs'
Tennessee
state lawmakers Wednesday afternoon passed a bill that would allow mental
health professionals to refuse service to anyone based on the "sincerely
held religious belief of the counselor or therapist." The bill just passed
the House by a huge margin, 68-22, and earlier passed the Senate, 27-5.
HB 1840
now heads to GOP Gov. Bill Haslam for his signature or veto.
The legislation is particularly onerous for LGBT people in Tennessee.
Of its 6.5 million residents overall, nearly one-quarter live in rural
areas, where access to mental health professionals can be especially
limited. While the bill states a therapist must provide a referral if they
refuse service, it's not only possible, but likely, another therapist
willing to help an LGBT person could be hours away.
The ACLU of Tennessee
warns
the bill, should it become law, would allow counselors to "refuse to see
clients for almost unlimited reasons. For instance, a counselor could refuse
to see a lesbian simply because of her sexual orientation, or to see a
couple involved in an interfaith relationship. A counselor who is an atheist
could refuse to see a Catholic clientand the list goes on."
"For people seeking counseling because they are faced with a critical
dilemma in their lives and need objective guidance, allowing mental health
professionals to discriminate could cause grave damage. Many who need care
already face significant barriers, including trauma, marginalization, and a
historic distrust of mental health providers. For somelike a woman who
wants to escape her abusive spouse or a gay teen being bullied, for
examplethis bill could affect their very survival."
The bill is exceptionally broad, and even includes unlicensed counselors. It
also uses undefined language and sweeping language, like this passage:
"facilitate normal human growth and development, using a combination of
mental health and human development principles, methods, and techniques, to
achieve mental, emotional, physical, social, moral, educational, spiritual,
or career development and adjustment throughout the life span."
The Tennessee Equality Project has
a petition
asking Gov. Haslam to veto the bill.
