California Minor Consent Laws

CALIFORNIA MINOR CONSENT LAWS: Which minors can consent for what services and providers’ confidentiality obligations MINORS OF ANY AGE MAY CONSENT PREGNANCY CONTRACEPTION ABORTION EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES **An emergency is “a situation . . . requiring immediate services for alleviation of severe pain or immediate diagnosis of unforeseeable medical conditions, which, if not immediately diagnosed and treated, would lead to serious disability or death” (Cal. Code Bus. & Prof. 2397 (c)(2)). SEXUAL ASSAULT* SERVICES * For the purposes of minor consent alone, sexual assault includes acts of oral copulation, sodomy, and other violent crimes of a sexual nature. RAPE* SERVICES FOR MINORS UNDER 12 YRS** *Rape requires an act of non-consensual sexual intercourse. ** See also “Rape Services for Minors 12 and Over” at page 4-4 of this chart LAW “A minor may consent to medical care related to the prevention or treatment of pregnancy,” except sterilization. (Cal. Family Code § 6925). A minor may receive birth control without parental consent. (Cal. Family Code § 6925). A minor may consent to an abortion without parental consent and without court permission. (American Academy of Pediatrics v. Lungren 16 Cal.4th 307 (1997)). CONFIDENTIALITY AND/OR INFORMING OBLIGATION OF THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER The health care provider is not permitted to inform a parent or legal guardian without minor’s consent. The provider can only share the minor’s medical records with the signed consent of the minor. (Cal. Health & Safety Code §§ 123110(a), 123115(a); Cal. Civ. 56.10, 56.11). The health care provider is not permitted to inform a parent or legal guardian without minor’s consent. The provider can only share the minor’s medical records with the signed consent of the minor. (Cal. Health & Safety Code §§ 123110(a), 123115(a); Cal. Civ. 56.10, 56.11). The health care provider is not permitted to inform a parent or legal guardian without minor’s consent. The provider can only share the minor’s medical records with the signed consent of the minor. (Cal. Health & Safety Code §§ 123110(a), 123115(a); Cal. Civ. 56.10, 56.11). A minor who has a condition or injury which is considered an emergency but whose parent or guardian is unavailable to give consent is permitted to give consent for medical services. (Cal. Business and Professions Code § 2397). The health care provider shall inform the minor’s parent or guardian. A minor who may have been sexually assaulted or raped may consent to medical care related to the diagnosis, treatment and the collection of medical evidence. (Cal. Family Code § 6928). The health care provider must attempt to contact the minor’s parent/guardian and must note the day and time of the attempted contact and whether it was successful. This provision does not apply if the treating professional reasonably believes that the parent/guardian committed the rape or assault. A minor who may have been sexually assaulted or raped may consent to medical care related to the diagnosis, treatment and the collection of medical evidence. (Cal. Family Code § 6928). vised: Jan. 2003 The health care provider must attempt to contact the minor’s parent/guardian and must note the day and time of the attempted contact and whether it was successful. This provision does not apply if the treating professional reasonably believes that the parent/guardian committed the rape or assault. 1-4 MINORS OF ANY AGE MAY CONSENT LAW CONFIDENTIALITY AND/OR INFORMING OBLIGATION OF THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER *SKELETAL X-RAY TO “A physician and surgeon or dentist or their agents . . . may take skeletal X-rays of the child without the consent of the child's parent or guardian, but only for purposes of diagnosing the case as one of possible child abuse or neglect and determining the extent of.” (Cal Penal Code § 11171). Neither the physician-patient privilege nor the psychotherapist-patient privilege applies to information reported pursuant to this law in any court proceeding. LAW CONFIDENTIALITY AND/OR INFORMING OBLIGATION OF THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER DIAGNOSE CHILD ABUSE OR NEGLECT * The provider does not need the minor’s or her parent’s consent to perform a procedure under this section. MINORS 12 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER MAY CONSENT OUTPATIENT MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES* * This section does not authorize a minor to receive convulsive therapy, psychosurgery or psychotropic drugs without the consent of a parent or guardian. DIAGNOSIS AND/OR TREATMENT FOR INFECTIOUS, CONTAGIOUS COMMUNICABLE DISEASE, AND SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT: The health care provider is required to involve a parent or guardian unless the health care provider decides that involvement is inappropriate. This decision must be documented in the minor’s record. “A minor who is 12 years of age or older may SHELTER: consent to mental health treatment or counseling on Although minor may consent to service, the shelter must an outpatient basis, or to residential shelter services, use its best efforts based on information provided by the if both of the following requirements are satisfied: minor to notify parent/guardian of shelter services. (1) The minor, in the opinion of the attending (Note: The parent/guardian of a minor shall not be professional person, is mature enough to participate entitled to inspect or obtain copies of the minor’s intelligently in the outpatient services or residential patient records where the health care provider shelter services. (2) The minor (A) would present a determines that access to the patient records requested danger of serious physical or mental harm to self or by the parent/guardian would have a detrimental to others without the mental health treatment or effect on the provider's professional relationship with counseling or residential shelter services, or (B) is the minor patient or the minor's physical safety or the alleged victim of incest or child abuse.” (Cal. psychological well-being. The decision of the health Family Code § 6924). care provider as to whether or not a minor's records are available for inspection under this section shall not attach any liability to the provider, unless the decision is found to be in bad faith. (Cal. Health & Safety Code § 123115(a)(2))). “A minor who is 12 years of age or older and who may have come into contact with an infectious, contagious, or communicable disease may consent to medical care related to the diagnosis or treatment of the disease, if the disease… is one that is required by law…to be reported…, or is a related sexually transmitted disease…..”(Cal. Family Code § 6926). vised: Jan. 2003 The health care provider is not permitted to inform a parent or legal guardian without minor’s consent. The provider can only share the minor’s medical records with the signed consent of the minor. (Cal. Health & Safety Code §§ 123110(a), 123115(a); Cal. Civ. 56.10, 56.11). 2-4 MINORS 12 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER MAY CONSENT LAW DIAGNOSIS AND/OR TREATMENT FOR SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASES A minor must be at least 12 years of age to request testing or treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (including HIV/AIDS). (Cal. Family Code § 6926). AIDS/HIV TESTING AND TREATMENT A minor 12 and older is competent to give written consent for an HIV test. (Cal. Health and Safety Code § 121020). DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE TREATMENT* “A minor who is 12 years of age or older may consent to medical care and counseling relating to the diagnosis and treatment of a drug or alcohol related problem.”(Cal. Family Code §6929(b)). * This section does not authorize a minor to receive replacement narcotic abuse treatment . . . without the consent of the minor's parent or guardian. vised: Jan. 2003 CONFIDENTIALITY AND/OR INFORMING OBLIGATION OF THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER The health care provider is not permitted to inform a parent or legal guardian without minor’s consent. The provider can only share the minor’s medical records with the signed consent of the minor. (Cal. Health & Safety Code §§ 123110(a), 123115(a); Cal. Civ. 56.10, 56.11). The health care provider is not permitted to inform a parent or legal guardian without minor’s consent. The provider can only share the minor’s medical records with the signed consent of the minor. (Cal. Health & Safety Code §§ 123110(a), 123115(a); Cal. Civ. 56.10, 56.11). Any program regulated or directly or indirectly funded by the federal government MAY NOT reveal any information to parents without the minor’s written consent. Programs include those treatment program licensed under a federal agency, registered with Medicare, those receiving federal funds of any kind, or those allowed to receive tax deductible donations from the IRS or with tax exempt status. For all other programs, “the treatment plan of a minor authorized by this section shall include the involvement of the minor's parent or guardian, if appropriate, as determined by the professional person or treatment facility treating the minor. The professional person providing medical care or counseling to a minor shall state in the minor's treatment record whether and when the professional person attempted to contact the minor's parent or guardian, and whether the attempt to contact the parent or guardian was successful or unsuccessful, or the reason why, in the opinion of the professional person, it would not be appropriate to contact the minor's parent or guardian.” (Cal. Family Code § 6929(c)). Where the health care provider determines that access to the patient records requested by the [parent/guardian] would have a detrimental effect on the provider's professional relationship with the minor patient or the minor's physical safety or psychological well-being, the parent/guardian shall not be entitled to inspect or obtain copies of the minor patient’s records. The decision of the provider shall not attach liability unless the decision is found to be in bad faith. (Cal. Health & Safety Code § 123115(a)(2))). 3-4 MINOR 12 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER MAY CONSENT LAW RAPE SERVICES FOR MINORS 12 and OVER “A minor who is 12 years of age or older and who is alleged to have been raped may consent to medical care related to the diagnosis or treatment of the condition and the collection of medical evidence with regard to the alleged rape.” (Cal. Family Code 6927). MINOR MUST BE 15 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER GENERAL MEDICAL CARE LAW “A minor may consent to the minor's medical care or dental care if all of the following conditions are satisfied: (1) The minor is 15 years of age or older. (2) The minor is living separate and apart from the minor's parents or guardian, whether with or without the consent of a parent or guardian and regardless of the duration of the separate residence. (3) The minor is managing the minor's own financial affairs, regardless of the source of the minor's income.” (Cal. Fam. Code § 6922(a)). MINOR MUST BE EMANCIPATED (GENERALLY 14 YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER) LAW GENERAL MEDICAL CARE An emancipated minor may consent to medical, dental and psychiatric care. (Ca. Family Code § 7050(e)). “A person under the age of 18 years is an emancipated minor if any of the following conditions is satisfied: (a) The person has entered into a valid marriage, whether or not the marriage has been dissolved. (b) The person is on active duty with the armed forces of the United States. (c) The person has received a declaration of emancipation” from the court. (Cal. Family Code § 7002). CONFIDENTIALITY AND/OR INFORMING OBLIGATION OF THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER The health care provider is not permitted to inform a parent or legal guardian without minor’s consent. The provider can only share the minor’s medical records with the signed consent of the minor. (Cal. Health & Safety Code §§ 123110(a), 123115(a); Cal. Civ. 56.10, 56.11). CONFIDENTIALITY AND/OR INFORMING OBLIGATION OF THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER “A physician and surgeon or dentist MAY, with or without the consent of the minor patient, advise the minor's parent or guardian of the treatment given or needed if the physician and surgeon or dentist has reason to know, on the basis of the information given by the minor, the whereabouts of the parent or guardian.” (Cal. Fam. Code § 6922(c)). CONFIDENTIALITY AND/OR INFORMING OBLIGATION OF THE HEALTH CARE PROVIDER The health care provider is not permitted to inform a parent or legal guardian without minor’s consent. The provider can only share the minor’s medical records with the signed consent of the minor. (Cal. Health & Safety Code §§ 123110(a), 123115(a); Cal. Civ. 56.10, 56.11). This chart may be adapted or reprinted providing any adaptation or reprinting be accompanied by an acknowledgement of its source. vised: Jan. 2003 4-4