In the State of Oregon, clients 14 and older may seek mental healthcare without parental consent and clients 15 and older may seek medical care without parental consent.

Clients can access birth control and full reproductive care at any age without parental consent in the State of Oregon.

Payment for services is due at the time of services and can be accepted via credit card.

Minors may receive outpatient mental health treatment if they are 13 years of age or older without the consent of a parent or guardian. The parents will not be notified without minor consent. RCW 71.34.530.

Any adolescent may request and receive outpatient treatment without the consent of the adolescent's parent.

Parental authorization, or authorization from a person who may consent on behalf of the minor pursuant to RCW 7.70.065, is required for outpatient treatment of a minor under the age of thirteen.

In the State of Florida, clients 13 and older may seek up to two clinical mental health appointments in a single week for crisis support without parental consent.

After the initial two appointments, clients in Florida between 13-17 are required to have parental consent to continue treatment.

TN Law (See TCA 33-8-202) gives children ages 16 and 17 with “serious emotional disturbance “ or mental illness the same rights of privacy as adults with some exceptions.

This means that TN Law gives 16 and 17 year olds who qualify the right to initiate therapy or counseling and the right to privacy of their health records.

This also means that parents do not have rights to know when their 16 or 17 year old attends therapy, the goals of therapy, progress of therapy, issues discussed, or records related to therapy, unless given the rights by the 16 or 17 year old child.

I have extensive experience in navigating supporting clients who experience ideation, have attempted, or are close to someone who has/does.

In the State of Oregon, there are laws such as HB3139 (effective 1/1/2022) around disclosure of suicidality to a trusted adult.

The summary of this law is as follows:

Requires mental health care provider who assesses minor to be at imminent and serious threat of attempting suicide to disclose relevant information to parent, guardian or other individuals to engage in safety planning. Requires parental disclosure when minor receives suicide risk assessment, intervention, treatment or support services.] Requires mental health care provider who assesses minor to be at imminent and serious threat of attempting suicide to disclose relevant information to parent, guardian or other individuals to engage in safety planning. Permits provider to disclose relevant information regarding minor's treatment and diagnosis to organizations providing minor's treatment support. Permits provider to disclose minor's treatment and diagnosis information to individuals and organizations involved in minor's treatment if minor does not object to disclosure. Permits provider to decline to disclose minor's treatment and diagnosis information if disclosure could endanger minor, is not in minor's best interest or would disclose information to individual who abused or neglected minor. Grants civil immunity to providers for making disclosures in good faith without minor's consent.

I am a mandatory reporter, so I am obligated to report child abuse to the Child Abuse Hotline.

I work to prioritize safety - physically and emotionally - whenever I receive information of suspected child abuse and value being intentional in this process to minimize and mitigate the trauma of experiencing, reporting, and being a part of a Child Abuse investigation.

I have extensive experience in this area as well as familiarity with Forensic Interviewing, the Oregon Child Welfare System, and the mental health toll a child abuse report can have on all involved parties.

I encourage you to ask specific questions about this if you have them.

According to the State of Oregon:

Child definition: A child is a person under the age of 18 or a person under 21 that is living in or receiving services from a child-caring agency.​

What constitutes a mandatory report of child abuse: Having reasonable cause to believe that any child I come in contact has suffered abuse or that any person with whom I come in contact has abused a child.

I must report child abuse and neglect 24 hours per day, seven days per week.

The report must be made as soon as possible. This requirement applies whether you I observe the abuse or neglect during work activities or on personal time.