Texas reverses rule that allowed social workers to turn away LGBTQ clients, people with disabilities

Don’t mess with Texas social workers.

Texas officials reversed a controversial rule that would allow social workers to turn away LGBTQ clients or people with disabilities.

On Tuesday, the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council voted unanimously to restore anti-discrimination protections for social worker’s clients in the state on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity or disabilities.

The news comes just two weeks after the Texas State Board of Social Work Examiners voted to change a section of its code of conduct and professional standards of practice that provides guidelines about refusal of service.

On Oct. 12, board members voted unanimously for the rule following a recommendation by the state’s Republican governor, Greg Abbott -- without seeking input from social workers.

The news outraged health professionals in the state, who called for immediate action by the council.

The Texas chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW/TX) released a scathing statement saying that the organization was “outraged” that the board had accepted language from the governor to remove some anti-discrimination protections from the Social Work Code of Conduct.

A fierce campaign followed, and on Tuesday the council voted unanimously to restore those protections.

Gloria Canseco, who was appointed by Gov. Abbott in 2019 to lead the behavioral health council, said in a statement that she didn’t want the council’s actions to be “perceived as hostile to the LGBTQ+ community or to disabled persons.”

“At every opportunity our intent is to prohibit discrimination against any person for any reason,” she said.

Health professionals in the state applauded Tuesday’s vote, calling it the “right decision.”

In a statement, NASW/TX noted that the reversal wouldn’t have happened “without the collective strength and unity of voices from social workers across the state and nation, countless advocacy groups, federal and state legislators, and all others voicing their grave concern against the changes.”

After the Oct. 12 decision, the group “mobilized advocacy efforts responding to a change inherently against social work values. The swift and bold advocacy from our association and partners extended far beyond Texas, evidenced by the over 24,000 signatures on our online petition opposing the changes.”

Ricardo Martinez, the CEO of Equality Texas, the state’s largest statewide organization that advocates for LGBTQ rights, echoed that sentiment, celebrating the “overwhelming public pressure” that led to Tuesday’s vote.

“We are grateful for the prompt response to community concerns,” he said, adding that he agrees with Canseco’s comments in which she expressed regret for the previous rule change, which could’ve appeared “hostile.”

“We can attest that the October 12 vote and rule change did great harm to the mental health and well-being of many LGBTQ and disabled people across Texas,” he said.

Texas lawmakers “can and should remove all doubt on this matter by finally doing what the vast majority of Texans support: passing a comprehensive nondiscrimination law in 2021 to make it clear that no one should be discriminated against because of who they are or who they love,” Martinez added.

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