This bill amends the existing law regarding minors' consent to mental health treatment in Pennsylvania. It raises the age at which a minor can independently consent to voluntary inpatient and outpatient mental health treatment from fourteen to sixteen years. Additionally, it allows minors aged sixteen to eighteen to revoke their consent for treatment, provided that their parent or legal guardian has not given consent for continued treatment. The bill also stipulates that if a minor who is sixteen years or older objects to continued inpatient treatment, a court must appoint an attorney for the minor and hold a hearing to determine the appropriateness of the treatment.

Furthermore, the bill introduces new provisions regarding liability for healthcare providers. It states that if a physician provides services to a minor without parental consent, they will be liable for the minor's decisions. The bill also includes a new section that clarifies its applicability, stating that it does not apply to minors with special needs, defined as those with significantly subaverage intellectual functioning and limitations in adaptive functioning. The act is set to take effect in 60 days.

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 67 (Jan 14, 2025): P.L.19, No.10
Printer's No. 0067: P.L.19, No.10