Minor Consent / Confidentiality
Youth Awareness of a Minor’s Right to Access Reproductive Health Services Independently
Recent data from the Section of Family Planning & Contraceptive Research suggests that youth need more information about their ability to access reproductive health care services on their own. This brief highlights findings from a recent study conducted in spring of 2011 in Illinois. The study revealed that a number of teens were not aware that Illinois minors could legally access the following services without parental permission: medical care when pregnant, contraception, abortion, and testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Special laws grant minors access to these services; this brief explores the reasons for such laws and the importance of teen awareness in serving the purpose of the laws. The study findings suggest that more should be done to educate teens so they will be encouraged to seek care.
This article was taken from University of Chicago Medical Center
Click here to visit this resource
State Policies Affecting the Assurance of Confidential Care for Adolescents
An overview of states’ minor consent laws and new information on the use of explanation-of-benefit (EOB) statements by state Medicaid agencies and their contracting managed care organizations. The fact sheet explains how and why EOBs are used and addresses the implications of state policies for adolescents and for health professionals. Data on state protections for sensitive services are included.
This article was taken from The National Alliance
Click here to visit this resource
Protecting confidentiality to safeguard adolescent’s health: finding common ground
Editorial on the need to find “common ground” among parents, policy makers and health care professionals, on the issue of confidential health services for youth.
This article was taken from Contraception
Click here to visit this resource
Teenagers’ Access to Confidential Reproductive Health Services
This policy paper discusses public policies protection of the right of minors to receive contraceptive services confidentially. It discusses how professional organizations that are familiar with the scientific evidence uniformly support the provision of reproductive health care to minors on a confidential basis.
This article was taken from Guttmacher Institute
Click here to visit this resource
Reproductive Health
Recent News & Research
Examining State-Level Patterns in Teen Childbearing: 1991-2009
Child Trends’ latest brief uses state-level data to examine declines in the teen birth rate over 19 years. The brief describes variation across states during this time frame, in the degree of decline and in patterns over time.…
Having “The Talk” With Your Kids
Dr. Elizabeth Miller discusses healthy relationships and the launch a campaign in the Bay Area to raise awareness of teen dating violence. As a physician who specializes in care for adolescents, a researcher on teen dating abuse, and a parent…
The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families
This clinical report by the American Academy of Pediatrics reviews social media use by teens and tweens as well as looks at benefits, risks, and other issues such as influence of advertisements and the roll of the pediatrician.…
Recent Publications
ASHWG Core Competencies
Developed by the Adolescent Sexual Health Working Group (ASHWG), these resources are specifically intended for adult providers and educators of adolescent sexual and reproductive health.
CA Adolescent Data Set
A collection of county-specific data about the health status of adolescents in Excel format
Data Tables
The ASHWG Data for Adolescent Births, AIDS and STD are now updated with 2009 data
Provider Resource
Understanding Confidentiality and Minor Consent in California
Upcoming Events
Helping Schools Address the HIV and STDs Prevention Needs of Heterosexual and LGBTQQ Youth
This training takes places Wednesday, April 18, 2012, 8:30AM-4:30PM at the California Endowment Conference Center in downtown Oakland. This event is sponsored by the Alameda County STDs Community Interventions Program (SCIP), the California Adolescent Health Collaborative, the Alameda County Maternal,…
Southern California Sexual Health Summit
The Southern California Sexual Health Collaborative will be hosting a Sexual Health Summit on Wednesday, February 15, 2012 at the California Endowment in Downtown Los Angeles.
This event is a time to share programs, ideas and best practices with colleagues across…
California School Health Centers Association (CSHC) Conference
CSHC’s annual conference takes place March 12-13 in Sacramento. This year’s conference will be a statewide event. Workshops will range from youth-led research and leadership programs to how to start, sustain, or expand services, improve student health and learning, and…
