HB672 was signed into law by Governor Wolf on July 23, 2020.
HB672 is defined as, "An act enabling certain minors to consent to medical, dental, and health services, declaring consent unnecessary under certain circumstances," further providing for mental health
treatment and for release of medical records.
We believe HB672 is vital information for you to review and determine if applicable to your services and environment. The sponsors of this bill state that, “The focus of this latest revision is to repeal the sections of the act that have created confusion and replace them with language that is less likely to be misinterpreted. The purpose is to address the fact that children aged 14-18 years old need parental guidance for decisions of this magnitude, especially when they are struggling with a mental health concern.”
Highlights of HB672:
- Applies to consent for voluntary inpatient and outpatient mental health treatment
- Parents of minors 14 – 18 y.o. and the minors 14 – 18 y.o. have rights to consent to mental health treatment
- Providers or designees must ensure 14 – 18 y.o. consenting to treatment are educated and understand treatment and their rights
- There is language outlining the relationship between who consents to treatment and who can then consent to release of information for patients aged 14 – 18 y.o.
Click here to read the full Senate bill.
This is a guide on how to read legislative bills (i.e. what do brackets and shading mean?).
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