Subject to the limitations provided in this chapter, notwithstanding any other provision of law, a minor may consent to the matters provided in this chapter, and the consent of the minor’s parent or guardian is not necessary.
Medical TreatmentConsent by Minor
Section § 6920
In some cases, a minor in California can make certain decisions without needing permission from their parents or guardians. This section ensures minors have the ability to consent to specific matters covered in this chapter on their own.
minor consent parental permission autonomy
Section § 6921
A minor who agrees to something under this law cannot later cancel that agreement just because they are underage.
A consent given by a minor under this chapter is not subject to disaffirmance because of minority.
minor consent underage agreement disaffirmance
Section § 6922
This law allows minors who are 15 years or older to make their own decisions about medical, vision, or dental care if they are living apart from their parents and managing their own finances, no matter where their money comes from. Parents aren't responsible for the costs related to this care. Doctors and other healthcare providers can inform the minor’s parents about the treatment if they know how to contact them, but they don't have to get permission from the minor first.
(a)CA Family Law Code § 6922(a) A minor may consent to the minor’s medical care, vision care, or dental care if all of the following conditions are satisfied:
(1)CA Family Law Code § 6922(a)(1) The minor is 15 years of age or older.
(2)CA Family Law Code § 6922(a)(2) The minor is living separate and apart from the minor’s parents or guardian, whether with or without the
parent’s or guardian’s consent and regardless of the duration of the separate residence.
(3)CA Family Law Code § 6922(a)(3) The minor is managing the minor’s own financial affairs, regardless of the source of the minor’s income.
(b)CA Family Law Code § 6922(b) The parents or guardian are not liable for medical care, vision care, or dental care provided pursuant to this section.
(c)CA Family Law Code § 6922(c) A physician and surgeon, optometrist, 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, optometrist, or dentist has reason to know, on the basis of the information given by the minor, the whereabouts of the parent or guardian.
minor medical consent parental liability exemption self-managed financial affairs
Section § 6924
This law allows minors aged 12 and older to agree to mental health treatment or counseling services on their own, as long as a professional believes they are mature enough to participate intelligently. This includes various services provided by government agencies, contracted entities, community-funded agencies, runaway houses, or crisis centers. If a minor receives these services, the professional should try to inform the parents but can decide not to if it would be inappropriate. Parents aren't responsible for paying unless they are involved in treatment or have consented to the services. The law does not allow minors to get certain intensive treatments, like convulsive therapy or major surgeries, without parental approval. This law takes effect on July 1, 2024.
(a)CA Family Law Code § 6924(a) As used in this section:
(1)CA Family Law Code § 6924(a)(1) “Mental health treatment or counseling services” means the provision of mental health treatment or counseling on an outpatient basis by any of the following:
(A)CA Family Law Code § 6924(a)(1)(A) A governmental agency.
(B)CA Family Law Code § 6924(a)(1)(B) A person or agency having a contract with a governmental agency to provide the services.
(C)CA Family Law Code § 6924(a)(1)(C) An agency that receives funding from community united funds.
(D)CA Family Law Code § 6924(a)(1)(D) A runaway house or crisis resolution center.
(E)CA Family Law Code § 6924(a)(1)(E) A professional person, as defined in paragraph (2).
(2)CA Family Law Code § 6924(a)(2) “Professional person” means either of the following:
(A)CA Family Law Code § 6924(a)(2)(A) A professional person as defined in Section 124260 of the Health and Safety Code.
(B)CA Family Law Code § 6924(a)(2)(B) The chief administrator of an agency referred to in paragraph (1) or (3).
(3)CA Family Law Code § 6924(a)(3) “Residential shelter services” means any of the following:
(A)CA Family Law Code § 6924(a)(3)(A) The provision of residential and other support services to minors on a temporary or emergency basis in a facility that services only minors by a governmental agency, a person or agency having a contract with a governmental agency to provide these services, an agency that receives funding from community funds, or a licensed community care
facility or crisis resolution center.
(B)CA Family Law Code § 6924(a)(3)(B) The provision of other support services on a temporary or emergency basis by any professional person as defined in paragraph (2).
(b)CA Family Law Code § 6924(b) A minor who is 12 years of age or older may consent to mental health treatment or counseling on an outpatient basis, or to residential shelter services, if the minor, in the opinion of the attending professional person, is mature enough to participate intelligently in the outpatient services or residential shelter services.
(c)CA Family Law Code § 6924(c) A professional person offering residential shelter services, whether as an individual or as a representative of an entity specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a), shall make their best efforts to notify the parent or guardian of the provision of services.
(d)CA Family Law Code § 6924(d) The mental health treatment or counseling of a minor authorized by this section shall include involvement of the minor’s parent or guardian unless the professional person who is treating or counseling the minor, after consulting with the minor, determines that the involvement would be inappropriate. The professional person who is treating or counseling the minor shall state in the client record whether and when the person attempted to contact the minor’s parent or guardian, and whether the attempt to contact was successful or unsuccessful, or the reason why, in the professional person’s opinion, it would be inappropriate to contact the minor’s parent or guardian.
(e)CA Family Law Code § 6924(e) The minor’s parents or guardian are not liable for payment for mental health treatment or counseling services provided pursuant to this section unless the parent or guardian participates in the mental health treatment or counseling, and then only for services
rendered with the participation of the parent or guardian. The minor’s parents or guardian are not liable for payment for any residential shelter services provided pursuant to this section unless the parent or guardian consented to the provision of those services.
(f)CA Family Law Code § 6924(f) This section does not authorize a minor to receive convulsive therapy or psychosurgery as defined in subdivisions (f) and (g) of Section 5325 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or psychotropic drugs without the consent of the minor’s parent or guardian.
(g)CA Family Law Code § 6924(g) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2024.
mental health treatment counseling services outpatient basis
Section § 6925
This law allows minors in California to agree to receive medical care connected to preventing or treating pregnancy on their own. However, minors cannot be sterilized without their parent or guardian's approval.
(a)CA Family Law Code § 6925(a) A minor may consent to medical care related to the prevention or treatment of pregnancy.
(b)CA Family Law Code § 6925(b) This section does not authorize a minor to be sterilized without the consent of the minor’s parent or guardian.
minor consent pregnancy prevention medical care for minors
Section § 6926
This law allows minors who are 12 years old or older to agree to their own medical care if they might have come into contact with certain diseases, such as those that must be reported to health officials or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). They can also consent to preventative care for STDs. Additionally, their parents or guardians do not have to pay for this healthcare.
(a)CA Family Law Code § 6926(a) 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 or condition is one that is required by law or regulation adopted pursuant to law to be reported to the local health officer, or is a related sexually transmitted disease, as may be determined by the State Public Health Officer.
(b)CA Family Law Code § 6926(b) A minor who is 12 years of age or older may consent to medical care related to the prevention of a sexually transmitted disease.
(c)CA Family Law Code § 6926(c) The minor’s parents or guardian are not liable for payment for medical care provided pursuant to this section.
minor consent infectious disease communicable disease
Section § 6927
If a child is 12 or older and claims they have been raped, they can agree on their own to get medical help and have tests done related to the incident.
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.
minor consent medical care age 12 or older
Section § 6928
This law states that minors who are believed to have been sexually assaulted can agree to medical care to treat injuries and gather evidence related to the assault. The healthcare provider should try to inform the minor's parent or guardian about the medical treatment, unless they think the parent or guardian is responsible for the assault. Regardless, they must record whether they were able to reach the parent or guardian in the minor's treatment record.
(a)CA Family Law Code § 6928(a) “Sexually assaulted” as used in this section includes, but is not limited to, conduct coming within Section 261, 286, or 287 of the Penal Code.
(b)CA Family Law Code § 6928(b) A minor who is alleged to have been sexually assaulted may consent to medical care related to the diagnosis and treatment of the condition, and the collection of medical evidence with regard to the alleged sexual assault.
(c)CA Family Law Code § 6928(c) The professional person providing medical treatment shall attempt to contact the minor’s parent or guardian and shall note in the minor’s treatment record the date and time the professional person attempted to
contact the parent or guardian and whether the attempt was successful or unsuccessful. This subdivision does not apply if the professional person reasonably believes that the minor’s parent or guardian committed the sexual assault on the minor.
minor consent sexual assault medical care
Section § 6929
This law allows minors aged 12 and older to consent to medical care and counseling for drug or alcohol issues without needing their parents' permission. However, the treatment plan should involve the parents if it's appropriate, and professionals must document whether they tried to inform the parents. Parents are not responsible for paying for the minor's treatment unless they participate in counseling. Minors cannot receive replacement narcotic therapy without parental consent, except those 16 or older can consent to certain treatments under federal law. The law respects parents' rights to seek treatment for their children without their consent, and doctors must share medical information with parents if they request it.
(a)CA Family Law Code § 6929(a) As used in this section:
(1)CA Family Law Code § 6929(a)(1) “Counseling” means the provision of counseling services by a provider under a contract with the state or a county to provide alcohol or drug abuse counseling services pursuant to Part 2 (commencing with Section 5600) of Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code or pursuant to Division 10.5 (commencing with Section 11750) of the Health and Safety Code.
(2)CA Family Law Code § 6929(a)(2) “Drug or alcohol” includes, but is not limited to, any substance listed in any of the following:
(A)CA Family Law Code § 6929(a)(2)(A) Section 380 or 381 of the Penal Code.
(B)CA Family Law Code § 6929(a)(2)(B) Division 10 (commencing with Section 11000) of the Health and Safety Code.
(C)CA Family Law Code § 6929(a)(2)(C) Subdivision (f) of Section 647 of the Penal Code.
(3)CA Family Law Code § 6929(a)(3) “LAAM” means levoalphacetylmethadol as specified in paragraph (10) of subdivision (c) of Section 11055 of the Health and Safety Code.
(4)CA Family Law Code § 6929(a)(4) “Professional person” means a physician and surgeon, registered nurse, psychologist, clinical social worker, professional clinical counselor, marriage and family therapist, registered marriage and family therapist intern when appropriately employed and supervised pursuant to Section 4980.43 of the Business and Professions Code, psychological assistant when appropriately employed and supervised pursuant to Section 2913 of the Business and
Professions Code, associate clinical social worker when appropriately employed and supervised pursuant to Section 4996.18 of the Business and Professions Code, or registered clinical counselor intern when appropriately employed and supervised pursuant to Section 4999.42 of the Business and Professions Code.
(b)CA Family Law Code § 6929(b) 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.
(c)CA Family Law Code § 6929(c) 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.
(d)CA Family Law Code § 6929(d) The minor’s parent or guardian is not liable for payment for care provided to a minor pursuant to this section, except that if the minor’s parent or guardian participates in a counseling program pursuant to this section, the parent or guardian is liable for the cost of the services provided to the minor and the parent or guardian.
(e)Copy CA Family Law Code § 6929(e)
(1)Copy CA Family Law Code § 6929(e)(1) This
section does not authorize a minor to receive replacement narcotic therapy, in a program licensed pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 11839) of Chapter 10 of Part 2 of Division 10.5 of the Health and Safety Code, without the consent of the minor’s parent or guardian.
(2)CA Family Law Code § 6929(e)(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a minor 16 years of age or older may consent to receive medications for opioid use disorder from a licensed narcotic treatment program as replacement narcotic therapy without the consent of the minor’s parent or guardian only if, and to the extent, expressly permitted by federal law.
(f)CA Family Law Code § 6929(f) It is the intent of the Legislature that the state shall respect the right of a parent or legal guardian to seek medical care and counseling for a drug- or alcohol-related problem of a minor child when the child does not consent to the medical care and counseling, and nothing in this section shall be construed to restrict or eliminate this right.
(g)CA Family Law Code § 6929(g) Notwithstanding any other law, when a parent or legal guardian has sought the medical care and counseling for a
drug- or alcohol-related problem of a minor child, the physician and surgeon shall disclose medical information concerning the care to the minor’s parent or legal guardian upon the parent’s or guardian’s request, even if the minor child does not consent to disclosure, without liability for the disclosure.
minor consent drug-related treatment alcohol counseling
Section § 6929.1
This law allows minors who are at least 16 years old to agree to receive treatment for opioid addiction using buprenorphine without needing permission from their parents or guardians. The treatment can be given by a doctor or another qualified health care provider.
Notwithstanding any other law, a minor 16 years of age or older may consent to opioid use disorder treatment that uses buprenorphine at a physician’s office, clinic, or health facility, by a licensed physician and surgeon or other health care provider acting within the scope of their practice, whether or not the minor also has the consent of their parent or guardian.
minor consent opioid use disorder buprenorphine treatment
Section § 6930
This law says that if a child who is at least 12 years old says they are hurt because of violence from someone they're in a relationship with, they can agree to medical care without needing permission from a parent or guardian. This care can include diagnosis, treatment, and gathering medical evidence of the injury. "Intimate partner violence" means harm done by someone they have or had a sexual, dating, or marriage relationship with. However, this doesn't apply if the harm is due to rape or sexual assault, which are covered by different laws. If the doctor believes the injury needs to be reported to the police, they must tell the child and try to inform the child's parent or guardian, unless the parent or guardian might be the one who hurt the child.
(a)CA Family Law Code § 6930(a) A minor who is 12 years of age or older and who states that the minor is injured as a result of intimate partner violence may consent to medical care related to the diagnosis or treatment of the injury and the collection of medical evidence with regard to the alleged intimate partner violence.
(b)Copy CA Family Law Code § 6930(b)
(1)Copy CA Family Law Code § 6930(b)(1) For purposes of this section, “intimate partner violence” means an intentional or reckless infliction of bodily harm that is perpetrated by a person with whom the minor has or has had a sexual, dating, or spousal relationship.
(2)CA Family Law Code § 6930(b)(2) This section does not apply when a minor is an alleged victim of rape, as defined in Section 261 of the Penal Code, in which case Section 6927 shall
apply, and does not apply when a minor is alleged to have been sexually assaulted, as described in Section 6928, in which case that section shall apply.
(c)CA Family Law Code § 6930(c) If the health practitioner providing treatment believes that the injuries described in subdivision (a) require a report pursuant to Section 11160 of the Penal Code, the health practitioner shall do both of the following:
(1)CA Family Law Code § 6930(c)(1) Inform the minor that the report will be made.
(2)CA Family Law Code § 6930(c)(2) Attempt to contact the minor’s parent or guardian and inform them of the report. The health practitioner shall note in the minor’s treatment record the date and time of the attempt to contact the parent or guardian and whether the attempt was successful or unsuccessful. This paragraph does not apply if the health practitioner reasonably believes that the minor’s parent or guardian committed
the intimate partner violence on the minor.
minor consent medical care intimate partner violence
