California Medicaid To Lift Parental Consent Requirements For Youth Therapy

California Medicaid is preparing to implement a new law that allows youth as young as 12 to consent to receive outpatient health services without prior approval or notification to a parent or guardian. The law goes into effect on July 1, 2024. Since 2010, California youth aged 12 years and older with private health insurance have had the right to consent to receive mental health services without approval from a parent or guardian. However, the state excluded youth with Medicaid coverage.

During 2023, the legislature passed Assembly Bill 665 (AB 665), signed on October 7, 2023, to eliminate the access . . .