NC governor bans use of state, federal funds for conversion therapy for minors

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) signed an executive order Friday banning the use of state and federal funds for LGBTQ conversion therapy for minors. 

The order directed the state’s Department of Health and Human Services to “take steps to expressly disallow payment of DHHS allocated state and federal funds for conversion therapy for individual patients” who are under 18.

{mosads}The order’s purpose was to “promote and implement actions that protect the wellbeing of all North Carolina residents regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression” and make sure funds “are used only for effective and therapeutic services that are supported by credible evidence and medical experts.”

Cooper tweeted that the measure will help to protect children.

Conversion therapy has been shown to pose serious health risks, and we should be protecting all of our children, including those who identify as LGBTQ, instead of subjecting them to a dangerous practice.

— Governor Roy Cooper (@NC_Governor) August 2, 2019

The Trevor Project, a support organization for LGBTQ youth, celebrated the move in a tweet.  

Thank you @RoyCooperNC and congratulations to @equalitync for your work to prohibit the use of state or federal funds to pay for the discredited practice of conversion therapy on minors in North Carolina!

Text TREVOR to 40649 to protect LGBTQ youth https://t.co/ONp2CsbfD6 pic.twitter.com/qSYvnwmjSd

— The Trevor Project (@TrevorProject) August 2, 2019