AN ACT relating to mental health counseling services and declaring an emergency.
Create new sections of KRS Chapter 344 to define terms; prohibit discrimination against mental health care professionals, mental health care institutions, and ordained ministry for providing protected counseling services; prohibit discrimination against individuals for offering information, training, and referrals for protected counseling services; prohibit discrimination against parents and guardians who consent to their child receiving protected counseling services; prohibit reporting of a mental health care professional or mental health care institution to a hiring or licensing authority solely on the basis that it provides protected counseling services; prohibit a hiring or licensing authority from investigating a mental health care professional or mental health care institution solely on the basis that it provides protected counseling services; establish a civil cause of action for a person injured by a violation; provide that the Act may be cited as the Mental Health Counseling Protection Act; EMERGENCY.
2025 Regular Session
The Commonwealth, any of its agencies or political subdivisions [...] shall not: (a) Discriminate against any: 1. Mental health care professional or mental health care institution for providing protected counseling services; 2. Individual or organization that provides information, training, referrals, or other support for protected counseling services; 3. Parent or guardian of a child for consenting to the child receiving or helping the child receive protected counseling services; or 4. Ordained ministry or the denominational equivalent from providing protected counseling services.
"Protected counseling service" means counseling, talk therapy, or other speech based mental health service performed with the goal or purpose to relieve discomfort or distress caused by an individual's sex or romantic or sexual attraction, provided that the service involves no obscene materials or aversive treatments that inflict physical discomfort or pain, or require any lewd or lascivious conduct.
History
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 2025-02-13 | introduced in House |
| 2025-02-13 | to Committee on Committees (H) |