I oppose this misguided and unconstitutional proposal for the following reasons:

• Parents are in the best position to make healthcare decisions involving the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being of their child.
• Under Virginia law, parents have the fundamental right to make decisions regarding the upbringing, education, and care of their children.
• There should be options for families to make informed decisions.
• A ban would deny families the religious freedom to seek counseling aligned with their faith.
• Because the proposed definition and ban cover all communication between a social worker and the client, there is a serious risk that children and families will lose the right to client “self-determination” in setting care goals (a core principle of the National Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics).