The "Rhode Island's Children Deserve Help Not Harm Act" seeks to prohibit gender transition procedures for individuals under eighteen, including puberty-blocking drugs, cross-sex hormones, and gender reassignment surgeries. The bill restricts healthcare professionals and institutions from providing these procedures to minors and prohibits insurance coverage and public funding for such services. It categorizes any referral or provision of these procedures to minors as unprofessional conduct, subject to disciplinary action by the appropriate licensing entity.

The legislation allows for private legal action against violators, enabling injured parties to seek damages in court. It establishes a thirty-year statute of limitations for individuals who have undergone gender transition procedures, allowing them to bring civil actions for damages after reaching adulthood. The bill includes provisions for compensatory damages, injunctive relief, and attorney fees for prevailing plaintiffs. It also empowers the Attorney General to enforce compliance with the act.

Individuals under eighteen may initiate legal actions through a parent or guardian, and there are exceptions to the statute of limitations for those who are mentally incompetent or under legal disability at the time of the alleged abuse. The act is set to take effect on January 1, 2026, to allow time for appropriate medication tapering and discontinuation for minors currently using puberty-blocking drugs or cross-sex hormones.