Cuyahoga County committee advances ordinance to ban conversion therapy on minors and vulnerable adults

Cuyahoga County Council's Health, Human Services & Aging Committee voted to advance an ordinance to prohibit conversion therapy for minors and vulnerable adults to the full council on second reading.

The ordinance, introduced by Councilman Paul Schlepper, would add a prohibition to the county code against health-care providers knowingly engaging in any practice that seeks to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity. Enforcement would be handled through the county Human Rights Commission, which could issue cease-and-desist orders, award attorney fees to complainants and assess civil penalties of up to $1,000 for a first offense and up to $5,000 for repeat offenses. The measure also would bar county contractors from knowingly facilitating conversion therapy and could subject violators to debarment procedures.

Supporters, including representatives of the county executive's office and local advocates, framed the ordinance as a public-health measure grounded in medical consensus. "Conversion therapy is not therapy. It is a form of psychological abuse masquerading as medical treatment," said Brendan Doyle of the county executive's office, speaking on behalf of County Executive Chris Ronayne. Doyle cited positions from major medical organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association.

Sponsor Schlepper said the ordinance is aimed at practices that have caused serious harm to young people: "If there is, in fact, a practice that's happening in our county that causes young people to either take their lives or attempt to take their lives, that's something that should be illegal," he told the committee.

Michael King, council staff, walked members through the ordinance's mechanics: complaints would be filed with the Human Rights Commission, which would investigate and adjudicate matters within its existing anti-discrimination framework. King said the director of the Department of Health and Human Services would be required to notify state professional licensing entities of violations and that the county's debarment process could apply to contractors who violate the prohibition.

Rob Chulupka, chair of the Human Rights Commission, told the committee the commission supports the measure and described how complaints would be processed through intake, a jurisdictional review, possible mediation and, if necessary, a hearing before commissioners. "We would receive the complaint, our staff typically reviews what's submitted and forwards it on to the commissioners with a recommendation as to whether or not this falls under our jurisdiction," Chulupka said.

Advocates who spoke at the meeting cited research and local survey data to argue the measure responds to documented harms. Brandon West, a grassroots advocate from Lorain who helped draft the ordinance, said a Trevor Project study estimates conversion-therapy-related harms cost the U.S. about $9.23 billion annually and that local survey respondents reported many cases occurring in Cuyahoga and neighboring counties. "Banning conversion therapy is about public health, safety, and standing on the side of kindness," West said.

Committee members asked about enforcement logistics, existing data on local occurrences and the potential for municipalities to opt out. Chulupka said the commission does not currently have complaint data specific to conversion therapy because it would only have jurisdiction if the ordinance is adopted; he noted the commission received its sixth complaint of 2025 recently and that none included references to conversion therapy. He also said the commission is discussing bylaw changes to protect confidentiality when complaints involve minors.

Council President Michael Miller suggested the committee send notice to municipal leaders before final passage to reduce the chance of opt-outs and to solicit feedback from suburbs and cities.

The committee voted to advance Ordinance 20250003 to the full council for a second reading; the ordinance requires three readings and final passage is scheduled for the council meeting on Sept. 9, 2025. The committee record shows the motion was moved by Councilman Schlepper and seconded by Miller; the action was advanced by voice vote. The ordinance text reads in part: "amending sections 501.15, 5050.03 and 1501.03(a) and enacting section 1501.08 of the Cuyahoga County code to prohibit the practice of conversion therapy on minors and vulnerable adults."

Questions about the ordinance's constitutionality and potential litigation were raised; Chulupka and others noted a pending U.S. Supreme Court case addressing state-level bans could affect the legal landscape.

If adopted, the ordinance would rely on the Human Rights Commission's existing complaint procedures, an appeal route to the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas and notifications to professional licensing boards for any health-care provider found to have violated the law. The ordinance language also contemplates civil remedies rather than criminal penalties.

The committee received multiple public comments in favor of the ordinance from local advocates and residents; no testimony in opposition was presented at the meeting.