Title 42

SECTION 2.14

2.14 Minor patients.

§ 2.14 Minor patients.

(a) State law not requiring parental consent to treatment. If a minor patient acting alone has the legal capacity under the applicable state law to apply for and obtain substance use disorder treatment, any written consent for disclosure authorized under subpart C of this part may be given only by the minor patient. This restriction includes, but is not limited to, any disclosure of patient identifying information to the parent or guardian of a minor patient for the purpose of obtaining financial reimbursement. These regulations do not prohibit a part 2 program from refusing to provide treatment until the minor patient consents to the disclosure necessary to obtain reimbursement, but refusal to provide treatment may be prohibited under a state or local law requiring the program to furnish the service irrespective of ability to pay.

(b) State law requiring parental consent to treatment. (1) Where state law requires consent of a parent, guardian, or other individual for a minor to obtain treatment for a substance use disorder, any written consent for disclosure authorized under subpart C of this part must be given by both the minor and their parent, guardian, or other individual authorized under state law to act in the minor's behalf.

(2) Where state law requires parental consent to treatment, the fact of a minor's application for treatment may be communicated to the minor's parent, guardian, or other individual authorized under state law to act in the minor's behalf only if:

(i) The minor has given written consent to the disclosure in accordance with subpart C of this part; or

(ii) The minor lacks the capacity to make a rational choice regarding such consent as judged by the part 2 program director under paragraph (c) of this section.

(c) Minor applicant for services lacks capacity for rational choice. Facts relevant to reducing a substantial threat to the life or physical well-being of the minor applicant or any other individual may be disclosed to the parent, guardian, or other individual authorized under state law to act in the minor's behalf if the part 2 program director judges that:

(1) A minor applicant for services lacks capacity because of extreme youthor mental or physical condition to make a rational decision on whether to consent to a disclosure under subpart C of this part to their parent, guardian, or other individual authorized under state law to act in the minor's behalf; and

(2) The minor applicant's situation poses a substantial threat to the life or physical well-being of the minor applicant or any other individual which may be reduced by communicating relevant facts to the minor's parent, guardian, or other individual authorized under state law to act in the minor's behalf.

---