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Since taking office on January 20, 2025, President Trump has issued numerous Executive Orders, many of which may directly impact your work as a therapist. In response to these Executive Orders, federal government agencies have begun to take steps to align with the new Administration’s policy directives. CAMFT has been and continues to track those orders and the actions taken by federal government agencies most likely to affect our members and their practices directly.
An Executive Order is an official directive from the President of the United States to manage federal government operations or to carry out policy priorities. Executive Orders have the force of law but do not require approval from Congress. To access all Executive Orders issued by President Trump, please click here.
It depends. Some Executive Orders require no further action and will take effect once the President signs them. Other Executive Orders require additional actions to be taken by federal Executive Branch agencies. These actions could include promulgating a new federal regulation, which is a very lengthy process requiring public comment, submitting a report, issuing a memorandum, or other action. Finally, some Executive Orders may lay out the Administration’s policy goals, which sometimes require acts of Congress to address through legislation.
CAMFT is actively working with other associations and our policy experts to assess how the Executive Orders and other actions taken by Executive Branch agencies may impact our members and the association. CAMFT recognizes the impact uncertainty stemming from these actions may have not only on you, our members, but also on your patients. Please read the full statement CAMFT issued in response to the Executive Orders.
Over the years, CAMFT’s Board of Directors has published Social Policy Statements in response to issues relevant to the practice of psychotherapy in California. To learn more about CAMFT’s Social Policy Statements, please click here.
California’s Attorney General has written many opinion papers, brought several lawsuits, and filed friend of the court briefs in cases focused on challenging some of President Trump’s Executive Orders and resulting federal actions. Please visit the Attorney General's website to learn more about what California is doing in the courts.
California’s Attorney General has also issued guidance documents for Californians in response to some of the recent federal actions. Such guidance includes: Students and Educators on Immigration Enforcement on School Campuses; and Businesses on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Initiatives in the Workplace.
Most of your day-to-day work is governed by California law. Depending on how or even where you practice, actions of the federal government may reach your practice in innumerable ways. From HIPAA to Medicare, Immigration to Gender Affirming Care, and beyond, actions of the federal government may touch your practice and underpin some of the issues your patients bring into their work. To get a better understanding of the many policy topics addressed by the Executive Orders, click here.
While Executive Orders have the force of law, many of the policy priorities advanced by the Executive Orders require congressional action. As a constituent, you can share your feedback with your elected officials. If you would like to have your voice heard, we recommend you reach out to your U.S. Senators and/or Member of the U.S. House of Representatives, by writing or calling them directly.
If your therapy practice has been directly impacted by an Executive Order, or one of the subsequent federal government actions, please tell us your story.