WHAT'S NEXT

Ex-Gay Therapy Kills. Stop Accrediting NARTH
  1. Signatures
    1,131 out of 1,500
    Petitioning
    1. Patricia Fay, Continuing Education Coordinator (California's Board of Behavioral Sciences)
  2. Created By
    Jamie McGonnigal
    Washington, DC
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates
How We Won

Jul 26, 2011

Talk About Equality's Jamie McGonnigal reports that the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) is no longer accredited to provide continuing education credits in California because they fell behind on their fees to remain accredited.

NARTH teaches dangerous and debunked "ex-gay" therapy. Prior to McGonnigal's petition, Licensed Educational Psychologists, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Licensed Clinical Social Workers could attend classes at NARTH about so called "ex-gay" therapy and apply those credits towards their license renewal requirements. 

The California Board of Behavioral Sciences plans to review their approval process for continuing education providers in September 2011. 

Board of Behavioral Sciences Spokesman Russ Heimerich told The Sacramento News & Review, “We certainly do believe that there is a lot of room for improvement.”

 

 

 

The National Association for the Research & Therapy of Homosexuals (NARTH) encourages "reparative therapy" for LGBT people. This form of conversion therapy has been proven to be harmful by the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Counselors Association One of the founders of NARTH, George Rekers - was infamously involved in a scandal when it was discovered he was traveling through Europe with a "rent boy." He claimed he was trying to help the boy while receiving naked sensual massages.

NARTH has been at the root of several documented suicide attempts and continues to operate their hateful and harmful "services." NARTH is listed by California's Board of Behavioral Sciences as an accredited organization from which Licensed Educational Psychologists, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Licensed Clinical Social Workers can receive credits toward license renewal.

According to a reader at Towleroad:

I was wondering if you could help me raise awareness about in issue. I am a Licensed Educational Psychologist here in Los Angeles. The California Board of Behavioral Sciences is responsible for licensing LEPs, MFTs, and LCSWs here in California. I was recently looking at BBS website in order to determine which organizations I could obtain my continuing education credits from in order to renew my license. Much to my shock and sadness, the BBS accepts CEUs from NARTH. I am absolutely appalled. No therapist in California should be able to renew their license by obtaining CEUs from this hateful organization. "Homosexual conversion therapy" is not supported by the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, or the American Counselors Association. I have written the the BBS with my concerns, but I have not heard back. Could you help me bring attention to this issue? We need to get them removed from this list ASAP.

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Stop Accrediting Anti-Gay NARTH's Ex-Gay Therapy!

Dear Ms. Fay,

I just signed the following petition addressed to: Board of Behavioral Sciences.

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Remove the accreditation from the harmful Anti-Gay organization NARTH

The National Association for the Research & Therapy of Homosexuals (NARTH) encourages "reparative therapy" for LGBT people. This form of conversion therapy has been proven to be harmful by the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, and the American Counselors Association

One of the founders of NARTH, George Rekers - was infamously involved in a scandal when it was discovered he was traveling through Europe with a "rent boy." He claimed he was trying to help the boy while receiving naked sensual massages.

NARTH has been at the root of several documented suicide attempts and continues to operate their hateful and harmful "services."

NARTH is listed by California's Board of Behavioral Sciences as an accredited organization from which Licensed Educational Psychologists, Marriage and Family Therapists, and Licensed Clinical Social Workers can receive credits toward license renewal.

According to a reader at Towleroad:

I was wondering if you could help me raise awareness about in issue. I am a Licensed Educational Psychologist here in Los Angeles. The California Board of Behavioral Sciences is responsible for licensing LEPs, MFTs, and LCSWs here in California. I was recently looking at BBS website in order to determine which organizations I could obtain my continuing education credits from in order to renew my license. Much to my shock and sadness, the BBS accepts CEUs from NARTH. I am absolutely appalled. No therapist in California should be able to renew their license by obtaining CEUs from this hateful organization. "Homosexual conversion therapy" is not supported by the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, or the American Counselors Association. I have written the the BBS with my concerns, but I have not heard back. Could you help me bring attention to this issue? We need to get them removed from this list ASAP.

For more information on NARTH, visit:
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2006/winter/one-more-enemy

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Sincerely,

[Your name]

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