Ohio House Bill 83 attempts to ban diversity and inclusion, which directly impacts Counseling Education core requirements to become a licensed, ethical, counselor. Diversity, equity, and inclusion are the very core of the counseling profession, and this bill endangers that.
5 core values for mental health & counseling professionals:
1. Enhancing human development throughout the life span;
2. Honoring diversity and embracing a multicultural approach in support of the worth, dignity, potential, and
uniqueness of people within their social and cultural contexts;
3. Promoting social justice;
4. Safeguarding the integrity of the counselor–client relationship; and
5. Practicing in a competent and ethical manner.
Opponent testimony is now being accepted against this bill until 4/18/2023 at this link.
SB 83 infographic from Honesty for Ohio Education
How House Bill 83 Endangers Counseling Education
Ohio House Bill 83 specifically bans “controversial” subjects defined as
“any belief or policy that is the subject of political controversy, including issues such as climate change, electoral politics, foreign policy, diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, immigration policy, marriage, or abortion.”
How can an undergraduate or graduate degreed program in social work or counseling possibly be ethical and avoid discussing relevant topics that impact various populations? Current events like immigration, foreign policy, and electoral politics – to name a few – can have direct and lasting effects on individual mental health.
Jerry Cirino, the Republican who introduced the bill also wants to dictate topics in higher education. Ohio House Bill 83 also aims to prohibit individuals in higher education from making public statements in support of political and social matters. This is attempt to bar free speech is an obvious legislative overreach. It’s unacceptable, and we have to meet this bill with swift and severe pushback.
Reach out to your State Representative and tell them that Ohio House Bill 83 must be stopped.
Every organization, individual, and professional who believes in access to ethical mental healthcare and education needs to step up. We must unite in consistent messaging: we stand solidly with education and treatment that is ethical, evidence-based, and factual. Full stop.
How To Stop House Bill 83 From Destroying Mental Health Education
- CALL YOUR REPS
- Sign and share this petition, which goes directly to all those listed here telling them to take action NOW!
- Contact American Counseling Association’s (ACA)’s and remind them their key focus in advocacy must condemn bigoted and racist attempts to control our practice and educational standards.
- Contact CACREP and press them on their duty to address legislation in states which make meeting standards impossible.
- Contact The Ohio Counseling Association (OCA) and urge them to prioritize and actively advocate for ethical standards across the spectrum of one’s career.
- Mental health practitioners and Counselor Educators must reach out to their State Representatives and tell them that Ohio House Bill 83 is unacceptable and movement forward must stop
- Follow Honesty for Ohio Education for actionable updates.
- If you are in therapy and feel comfortable advocating with your therapist about this bill, do so.
