AUSTIN, TX – The State Board of Social Work Examiners and Texas Governor Greg Abbott are facing backlash after voting unanimously to eliminate all protections from clients in the disabled and LGBTQ communities.
The board made their decision during a joint meeting last week with the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council, which oversees regulatory agencies for professions related to mental health.
Such organizations can now deny clients based on their disabilities, sexual orientations, or gender identity.
Abbots’ office says the changes were made to ‘simply align the rules with the state’s Occupations Code, which determines how and when the state may discipline social workers.
The National Association of Social Workers has since then criticized the board’s decision to follow the governor’s recommendation.