IL HB3709

Minors age 12 or older may request outpatient counseling or psychotherapy without parental consent.

Initial treatment for minors under 17 is limited to 8 ninety-minute sessions without parental consent, increased from the previous 5 forty-five minute sessions.

By the eighth session, the service provider must determine whether obtaining parental consent would be detrimental to the minor's well-being based on four specific factors, and share this decision with the minor.

If parental consent is deemed necessary and not detrimental, the provider must notify the parent or guardian; if the minor refuses to allow notification, services must discontinue with no parental notification.

When counseling relates to allegations of neglect, sexual abuse, or mental or physical abuse by the parent or guardian, obtaining their consent is presumed detrimental to the minor's well-being.