Parental Consent and Notification Laws

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SpunkyHomeschool http://spunkyhomeschool.blogspot.com/2010/03/abortion-during-school-hou… recently blogged about a girl http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/03/25/school-abortion-and-more/…: who received an abortion during school hours without parental consent .
…the girl was called a taxi and transported by herself to a clinic to have her abortion then driven back to finish her school day, officials say that’s not unusual. They would not say how many girls have been helped to have an abortion.

Washington State is one of thirteen states that does not have either a parental consent or parental notification law. Girls of any age can obtain an abortion without having to tell a parent.

State lawmakers included mental health care and drug counseling on the list of services kids can get without parental notification.
Here is a chart of the parental consent/notification policies http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparetable.jsp?cat=10&ind=460: for each state .


Parents signed consent forms for off-school treatment thinking it was limited to emergency health care when the parents could not be reached. But the teen health clinics at 14 Seattle schools are about much more. They have a full-time registered nurse, counselor and nursing assistant on hand to help kids with more sensitive issues.
Parents need to ask what it really means when they sign consent forms for medical treatment at school.

Discussion

[URL=http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/06/24/mass-district-policy-let-elementar…] Mass. district under fire for policy that would let elementary school students get condoms[/URL]

PROVINCETOWN, Mass. (AP) — A new policy in a Massachusetts public school district that makes condoms available to all students, even those in elementary school, is drawing criticism from some who say it goes too far.

Provincetown School Board Chairman Peter Grosso says because there is no set age when sexual activity starts, the committee decided not to set an age for condom availability.

Under the policy, any student requesting a condom from a school nurse must first receive counseling, which includes information on abstinence. The policy does not require the school to contact parents.

The policy was approved by Provincetown’s school committee June 10. It takes effect in the fall.