A teenager knows something isn’t right. They want to talk to a therapist but don’t want their parents to know everything they say. In Wisconsin, whether the teen can control that decision depends on a set of laws, hinging on the age of the minor, that most teens and many parents do not fully understand.
For children under 14, parents or guardians typically make treatment decisions. Once a minor reaches 14, they have more say in their own care, especially in outpatient services like therapy and participation in treatment.
“One of the biggest surprises from families is that once a child turns 14, they have a lot more autonomy over their own treatment and privacy rights, parents have more limited access and ability to seek treatment for their kids,” said Cary Bloodworth, supervisor of the Family Legal Advocacy and Supports Clinic at UW–Madison Law School, speaking at a youth mental health panel on April 16…