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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 276 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 276

    Expressing the sense of the Senate that the attachment therapy 
  technique known as rebirthing is a dangerous practice and should be 
                              prohibited.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 18, 2005

   Mr. Salazar (for himself, Mr. Burr, and Mrs. Dole) submitted the 
        following resolution; which was considered and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
    Expressing the sense of the Senate that the attachment therapy 
  technique known as rebirthing is a dangerous practice and should be 
                              prohibited.

Whereas ``rebirthing'' is the most dangerous form of attachment therapy, a 
        controversial and scientifically unsupported form of therapy that claims 
        to treat emotionally disturbed children by using physical restraints;
Whereas rebirthing techniques attempt to reenact the birth process by 
        restraining a child with blankets or other materials and forcing the 
        child to emerge unaided;
Whereas rebirthing techniques are based on the erroneous assumption that a 
        reenactment of the birth process will treat children with reactive 
        attachment disorder, a psychiatric condition characterized by the 
        inability to form emotional attachments, by purging the child of rage 
        resulting from past mistreatment and allowing the child to form stronger 
        emotional attachments in the future;
Whereas attachment therapists claim rebirthing techniques create new bonds 
        between adopted children and adoptive parents and often use rebirthing 
        techniques in therapy sessions with adoptive families;
Whereas in 2000, Candace Newmaker, a 10-year-old child from North Carolina, died 
        from suffocation, after being wrapped in flannel sheets, covered with 
        pillows, and leaned on by 4 adults to simulate contractions, when 
        Candace became trapped by the sheets because she was forcibly restrained 
        by these adults and could not emerge through her own efforts to be 
        reborn into her adoptive family;
Whereas between 1995 and 2005, at least 4 other children in the United States 
        have died from other forms of attachment therapy;
Whereas the American Psychiatric Association, a national medical specialty 
        society that focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of 
        mental illnesses, maintains that no scientific evidence supports the 
        effectiveness of rebirthing techniques;
Whereas in 2002, Paul S. Appelbaum, M.D., President of the American Psychiatric 
        Association, condemned rebirthing techniques as ``extreme methods [that] 
        pose serious risk and should not be used under any circumstances''; and
Whereas several States have enacted or are considering legislation to prohibit 
        the use of rebirthing techniques: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) rebirthing, an attachment therapy technique that 
        reenacts the birth process by physically restraining a child 
        and forcing the child to emerge unaided, is dangerous, 
        potentially life-threatening, and unsupported by scientific 
        evidence; and
            (2) each State should enact laws prohibiting the use of 
        rebirthing techniques.
                                 <all>
```