Overview
- At issue in Chiles v. Salazar is whether Colorado’s 2019 prohibition on licensed providers performing conversion therapy on minors violates the First Amendment or permissibly regulates professional practice.
- Plaintiff Kaley Chiles, a Christian counselor represented by Alliance Defending Freedom, argues the law censors her talk‑only counseling, while the state says it safeguards children from harmful treatment.
- During Oct. 7 oral arguments, multiple conservative justices signaled skepticism of the ban, with Justice Samuel Alito raising concerns about viewpoint discrimination.
- Major medical groups, including the American Medical Association and American Academy of Pediatrics, condemn conversion therapy as harmful, and a Stanford Medicine survey found elevated depression, PTSD and suicidality among those subjected to it.
- A ruling for Chiles could jeopardize bans across dozens of states and localities, including at least 15 Ohio cities and Cuyahoga County, with a decision expected by late June 2026; the case concerns talk therapy rather than coercive or aversive techniques.