Ethan’s Law: A Chance for Georgia to Protect Children
Across Georgia, and the nation, children are being court-ordered into dangerous, unregulated, and unproven programs under the false guise of “family reunification.” These programs have no basis in science, no government oversight, and no place in our justice system yet they’re booming as a lucrative industry fueled by litigation, coercion, and court orders.
Georgia’s House Bill 253, also known as Ethan’s Law, could finally change that.
What Ethan’s Law Would Do
Ethan’s Law (HB253) would prohibit Georgia courts from ordering children into reunification treatments, programs, or services—including camps, workshops or educational programs.
This bill is about setting ethical and legal boundaries, boundaries that put child safety over profit.
Understanding the Pipeline: The Industry Behind Reunification
These court orders aren’t random. They follow a predictable, well-funded, and deeply disturbing path:
Level 1: DARVO – Legal Strategy
Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim & Offender (DARVO) is a manipulative tactic used by abusers to shift blame and discredit the protective parent. It sets the stage for litigation-based abuse. When allegations of abuse are made against the unhealthy parent, they counter claim that the other parent is "alienating” them.
Level 2: Family Law Attorneys
Certain attorneys weaponize the “parental alienation” label and tap into an entire industry of hired experts, some even contributing to judicial campaigns to influence outcomes.
Level 3: Family Court Professionals
Custody evaluators, parenting coordinators, GALs, and expert witnesses become part of the system, incentivized by prolonged litigation and hefty retainers.
Level 4: Reunification Therapy
Court-ordered “therapy” reframes abuse as a relational breakdown, ignoring trauma and often blaming the child. Failure to “reunify” escalates to the next level.
Level 5: Reunification Camps
Children are forcibly taken from the protective parent—sometimes by transport agents in the middle of the night and placed in unregulated, high-cost programs costing up to $40,000 for four-days, plus aftercare programs running up to $100,000 per year. Families are financially and emotionally devastated.
My Personal Plea to Georgia Lawmakers
As I wrote in my letter to the Georgia State Legislature:
“These interventions are not recognized by any major mental health or child development authority and have no peer-reviewed evidence supporting their effectiveness or safety… The strongest opposition to bills like HB253 doesn’t come from child welfare experts or trauma-informed professionals—it comes from those who profit.”
HB253—Ethan’s Law—is not just a bill. It’s a lifeline. It’s a chance for Georgia to lead the nation in protecting children and putting an end to this abusive pipeline.
Take Action Now: Email the Senate Children and Families Committee
It's time to let Georgia lawmakers know that the world is watching.
Use this template to email the Senate Children and Families Committee:
Subject: Support HB253 – Protect Georgia’s Children
Dear Senator [Last Name],
I’m writing to urge your support for HB253 – Ethan’s Law, which would prohibit courts from ordering Georgia’s children into dangerous reunification treatments and programs. These programs are for-profit, experimental and unsupported by credible research. They traumatize children, silence protective parents and financially devastate families. No child should be court-ordered into treatments that lack oversight and have no basis in science. Georgia has an opportunity to lead.
Please vote YES on HB253 to protect children and families from harm.
The whole world is watching and counting on Georgia to do the right thing.
Sincerely,
[Your Name] [City, State]
Email the Committee Members:
Senator Kay Kirkpatrick (Chair) – kay.kirkpatrick@senate.ga.gov
cc: hannah.holcomb@senate.ga.gov | bailey.sailors@senate.ga.govSenator Derek Mallow – derek.mallow@senate.ga.gov
cc: karen.thompson@senate.ga.govSenator Bo Hatchett – bo.hatchett@senate.ga.gov
cc: brenita.simmons@senate.ga.govSenator Matt Brass – matt.brass@senate.ga.gov
cc: mercedes.benites@senate.ga.govSenator Chuck Payne – chuck.payne@senate.ga.gov
cc: paige.mckenna@senate.ga.govSenator Brian Strickland – brian.strickland@senate.ga.gov
cc: hannah.holcomb@senate.ga.govSenator Max Burns – max.burns@senate.ga.gov
cc: tarika.jackson@senate.ga.govSenator Jason Esteves – jason.esteves@senate.ga.gov
cc: nyla.williams@senate.ga.govSenator Nabilah Islam Parkes – nabilah.islam@senate.ga.gov
cc: petros.yemane@senate.ga.govSenator Kim Jackson – kim.jackson@senate.ga.gov
cc: tina.coria@senate.ga.gov
The Choice is Simple: Protect children or protect those exploiting them for profit.
Georgia must stand on the right side of history.
#TheWholeWorldIsWatching
#EthansLaw
