California Enacted a Law in 2011 Allowing Mental Health Practitioners

California enacted a law in 2011 allowing mental health practitioners to treat minors (12 years or older) if:

A) a minor would like to enter into a counseling relationship; it is necessary to have informed parental or guardian consent or for counseling to be court ordered.
B) the practitioner is informed by the minor he or she would like to enter into a counseling relationship for minor educational purposes.
C) the practitioner determines the minor is mature enough to participate intelligently in outpatient treatment or mental health counseling.However,the statute does require parental (or guardian) involvement in the treatment unless the therapist finds,after consulting with the minor,that this would be inappropriate under the circumstances.
D) there is no reason for a minor to be treated without parent consent.