On May 15, 2008, the California Supreme Court struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. Of the 45 amicus briefs submitted to support this decision, the court cited only one directly - that filed by the American Psychological Association as lead amicus, with other mental health organizations signing on, including:

1. •American Psychological Association (APA)
   

2. •California Psychological Association (CPA)
   

3. •American Psychiatric Association
   

4. •National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
   

5. •California chapter of the National Association of Social Workers (CA-NASW)
   

We regard this as powerful evidence of the significant influence that organizations like CAMFT and AAMFT-CA can wield regarding legal decisions concerning mental health and relationships.

Prior to the election, CAMFT leadership was deluged by calls and emails from therapists in the Los Angeles area urging them to take a stand against Prop 8.  CAMFT refused.  Subsequently, letters were sent by Larchmont Associates, Antioch University Los Angeles, Phillips Graduate Institute, and GAYLESTA urging action by CAMFT.  CAMFT’s responses were defensive, offensive, and unhelpful. 

Surveys were done in Northern California and SF-CAMFT president made a presentation to the Board detailing our concerns.  The result was a letter to membership by the Board president, a boilerplate non-discrimination clause added to the CAMFT ethics policy, and their solicitation of articles “pro and con” Marriage Equality since published in the May/June edition of The Therapist. An article about these actions can be found at Curve online.