What Are the Laws Regarding Confidential Healthcare Treatment for Adolescents?
Laws about an adolescent’s right to obtain healthcare without parental consent are set by individual states. Most adolescents receive this right, though only for certain medical concerns or conditions, between the ages of 12 and 15. They are then able to obtain healthcare without parental consent for sexually transmitted disease, pregnancy, substance abuse, and mental health.Although state laws address the rights of adolescents to confidential healthcare, some healthcare providers—like some parents—do not feel comfortable maintaining the confidentiality of their adolescent patients. It is important to ascertain whether your adolescent’s healthcare provider feels certain that she can effectively and confidentially care for your adolescent.Numerous studies have shown that, if the ultimate goal of both the parent and the healthcare provider is the good health and safety of the adolescent patient, then assurance of confidentiality is crucial to the vast majority of adolescent patients. On
