For the purpose of this chapter, the terms, words and phrases defined herein shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them, unless a different meaning is clearly indicated by the context.
"Conversion therapy" means any treatment that aims to change sexual orientation to heterosexual or to convert an individual who identifies with a gender other than the gender assigned at birth to the originally assigned gender.
"Mental health professional" means an individual who is licensed, certified or registered under the laws of the State of Ohio to provide, to an individual or a group, mental health services, including but not limited to, the assessment or improvement of mental, emotional, psychiatric, psychological, or psychosocial adjustment or functioning, regardless of whether there is a diagnosable, pre-existing disorder or disease. Mental health professionals include, but are not limited to, physicians specializing in the practice of psychiatry, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, licensed clinical social workers, professional clinical counselors, behavioral clinicians or therapists, nurses, or any other persons offering such mental health services in a mental health clinical setting regardless of whether the person has a license, is certified or registered.
"Minor" means a person less than eighteen (18) years of age.
"Reparative therapy" has the same meaning as conversion therapy, which is defined in Section 723.01
herein.
"Sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts" means conversion therapy, reparative therapy or any other practices by mental health professionals that seek to change an individual's sexual orientation or to change gender identity to a gender other than that with which the individual personally identifies, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions, or to eliminate or reduce sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same sex. "Sexual orientation or gender identity change efforts" does not include psychotherapies that provide acceptance, support, and understanding of clients or the facilitation of clients' coping, social support, identity exploration and development, and other psychotherapies that do not seek to change sexual orientation or to change gender identity to a gender other than that with which the individual personally identifies.
(Ord. 2019-77. Passed 7-17-19.)