{"id":2063464,"date":"2023-10-11T13:24:03","date_gmt":"2023-10-11T17:24:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsom-signs-bill-allowing-12-year-olds-to-consent-to-therapy-group-homes\/"},"modified":"2023-10-11T13:27:27","modified_gmt":"2023-10-11T17:27:27","slug":"newsom-signs-bill-allowing-12-year-olds-to-consent-to-therapy-group-homes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsom-signs-bill-allowing-12-year-olds-to-consent-to-therapy-group-homes\/","title":{"rendered":"Newsom approves bill allowing 12-year-olds to consent to therapy and group homes."},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">24<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fnewsom-signs-bill-allowing-12-year-olds-to-consent-to-therapy-group-homes%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2063464&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><h2>A New California Law Allows Children to Consent to Mental Health Treatment Without \u200cParental Consent<\/h2>\n<p>A groundbreaking bill \u200bhas been signed \u2064into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in \u2064California, granting \u2062children ages 12 and older the right to consent to\u200b mental health treatment and even be placed\u2064 in a residential shelter without parental consent. This law, known as Assembly Bill 655, removes the previous conditions of abuse or potential harm that were required for\u200c minors to consent to \u2063such treatment.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n  <a href=\"https:\/\/leginfo.legislature.ca.gov\/faces\/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=202320240AB665\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click here to read Assembly Bill 655<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"mb-3 font-sans text-[16px] font-semibold uppercase leading-[19px] text-[#2F2F2F]\">Related Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>\n    <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/california-bill-allowing-12-year-olds-to-consent-to-counseling-residential-services-sent-to-governor-5490399?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>California Bill\u2064 Allowing 12-Year-Olds to Consent \u2064to Counseling, Residential Services Sent to Governor<\/h3>\n<p>    <\/a><br \/>\n    <span class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">9\/12\/2023<\/span>\n  <\/li>\n<li>\n    <a href=\"http:\/\/www.theepochtimes.com\/us\/mental-health-bill-is-state-sanctioned-kidnapping-parental-rights-advocates-say-5159687?ea_src=author_manual&#038;ea_med=related_stories\"><\/p>\n<h3>Mental Health Bill Is \u2018State-Sanctioned Kidnapping,\u2019 Parental Rights Advocates Say<\/h3>\n<p>    <\/a><br \/>\n    <span class=\"text-comp-caption text-[14px] leading-[18px]\">3\/30\/2023<\/span>\n  <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Furthermore, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/graphic-sexual-content-assigned-to-texas-students-dissenting-parents-harassed-with-anti-christiandks\/\" title=\"Graphic Sexual Content Assigned To Texas Students; Dissenting Parents Harassed With Anti-Christian\u2026\u2018D**ks\u2019\u00a0\">mental health professionals<\/a> are now required to consult with the minor before deciding whether to involve their parents or guardians in their treatment.<\/p>\n<p>Under this new law, children aged 12 and older have\u200d the authority to consent to being placed in a residential shelter independently. Service providers must make their\u200b best efforts to notify the parent or guardian, but the child&#8217;s consent is the primary factor.<\/p>\n<p>The\u2064 bill defines &#8220;residential shelter services&#8221; as the provision \u200bof temporary or emergency support services to\u2062 minors in a facility that exclusively serves minors.\u200c This includes governmental agencies,\u200b contracted agencies, community-funded agencies, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/newsom-signs-bill-allowing-12-year-olds-to-consent-to-therapy-group-homes\/\" title=\"Newsom approves bill allowing 12-year-olds to consent to therapy and group homes.\">licensed community care facilities<\/a> \u2064or crisis\u200d resolution centers.<\/p>\n<div class=\"my-5\">\n<p>However, there are concerns raised by \u2062opposition groups, such as parent and education advocacy organizations, including California Capitol Connection, California Parents\u2064 Union, Our Duty, and Pacific Justice\u2062 Institute. They argue that this \u200claw undermines parents&#8217; rights and could potentially harm \u200cthe child \u2064if they are separated from their\u200c parents without their knowledge.<\/p>\n<p>California Capitol Connection expressed their opposition, stating that children should not be allowed to consent to mental health treatment without parental permission. They believe \u2064that parents play a crucial\u2063 role in \u2063their child&#8217;s development and should not be excluded from\u200d decisions \u2063regarding their well-being.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>On the other hand, supporters of the law, including child advocacy groups like California Alliance of Child and Family Services, California Children&#8217;s Trust, California Coalition for Youth, California High\u200b School\u200b Democrats, and The Children&#8217;s Partnership, view it as a matter of equity.<\/p>\n<p>The Children&#8217;s Partnership, a \u200dco-sponsor of the bill, emphasized that the previous disparity between minors with private medical insurance and those under Medi-Cal has been\u2064 addressed. While minors aged 12 and over could already consent to mental health services under private insurance, those \u200bunder Medi-Cal were unable to do \u2062so. This law aims to eliminate\u2064 this \u200cinequitable policy and ensure that all youth, regardless \u2063of their insurance, have access\u200d to critical mental health services.<\/p>\n<p>The new law will take effect on \u2064July 1, \u200b2024.<\/p>\n<p> <\/p>\n<h2> What\u2063 provisions does the new law have in place to ensure that children have the \u2064necessary capacity and understanding\u2062 to make informed\u2064 decisions about their mental health<\/h2>\n<p><span>  Ents or guardians within 24 hours of such \u200cplacement, but the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/as-ev-sales-grow-battle-over-u-s-road-weight-limits-heats-up\/\" title=\"As EV sales grow, battle over U.S. road weight limits heats up\">ultimate decision lies<\/a> \u2063with \u2062the child. This is a significant departure from previous laws that required parental consent for any mental \u2063health treatment or placement outside the \u200dhome.<\/p>\n<p>The passing of\u2062 Assembly \u200bBill 655 has sparked a debate \u200damong experts and parents regarding the\u2064 impact and implications of allowing children to make these decisions without parental consent. Supporters argue \u200dthat this law empowers children\u200c and provides them with the autonomy to seek help when needed, especially in situations where\u2063 parental consent\u2062 may be withheld due to stigma, cultural barriers, or abuse within the family. They believe that \u2064mental health is a \u2062fundamental aspect of\u2063 a child&#8217;s well-being and should not be dependent on parental approval.<\/p>\n<p>On the other hand, opponents of the bill express concerns about the potential\u2064 misuse and exploitation of vulnerable \u200bchildren. They worry that children may be coerced into making decisions \u2063they do not fully understand or be\u200b removed from their homes without adequate justification. They argue that parents have a fundamental right to be involved \u2063in their child&#8217;s mental health treatment and that this law \u2063undermines parental authority\u200d and responsibility.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, some critics \u2062question whether\u200b children, particularly younger adolescents, possess the \u200dmaturity and understanding \u2062necessary to make informed decisions about their mental \u2064health. They \u2064argue that allowing children to make these choices without the guidance and support of their\u200d parents \u2064or guardians may lead to inappropriate or harmful decisions.<\/p>\n<p>To address these concerns, the new law includes provisions that mental health professionals must assess \u200dthe minor&#8217;s capacity to consent and consider \u2062the child&#8217;s best interests when deciding whether parental \u200dinvolvement is necessary. By involving the child in \u200bthese decisions, it \u200bis\u2064 expected that mental health professionals can better understand the child&#8217;s unique circumstances and provide\u2062 appropriate care.<\/p>\n<p>Assembly Bill 655 represents a significant shift in California&#8217;s\u2064 approach to mental health treatment for minors. By recognizing children&#8217;s autonomy and\u2063 right to access necessary care, this law aims to improve the well-being\u2062 of California&#8217;s youth. However, it is also\u2062 vital to \u2062ensure that\u200c safeguards are in place to\u200c protect children from potential \u200dexploitation or harm. Close monitoring \u2062and evaluation of the law&#8217;s\u200b implementation will be\u200b crucial in addressing any unintended consequences and making necessary adjustments to ensure the best interests \u2062of the child are upheld.<\/p>\n<p>In conclusion, the passing of Assembly Bill 655 in California grants children aged 12 and older the right to consent to mental health treatment and placement in a residential shelter without parental consent. While this law has generated controversy, supporters argue that it empowers children to seek help when needed, while opponents express \u2063concerns about potential exploitation and parental rights. With provisions in place to assess capacity\u2064 and \u2063consider the child&#8217;s best interests, the new law aims to strike a balance\u200c between children&#8217;s \u2062autonomy and their \u200cprotection. Continued evaluation and adjustments will be crucial in ensuring the proper implementation \u200band impact of this groundbreaking \u200dlegislation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A new California law signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Oct. 7 permits children aged 12 and above to consent to mental health treatment and even reside in a &#8220;residential shelter&#8221; without parental consent. Previously, minors aged 12 and older were allowed to consent if deemed &#8220;mature.&#8221;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":433,"featured_media":2063465,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[543],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2063464","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-epoch-times"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/cndimages.nyc3.digitaloceanspaces.com\/breaking-news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/IMG_2758-scaled-1.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2063464","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/433"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2063464"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2063464\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2063465"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2063464"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2063464"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2063464"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}