For teens and parents
Consent and privacy
Who agrees to care, what stays private and when a parent is told. Written for California, in plain words, and your clinician goes through it with you at the first visit.
- 01
Who consents
A parent or guardian signs for a child's care. If parents share custody, we ask for the order that says who may consent. California law lets some older teens consent to counseling on their own in narrow cases, and the clinician decides whether that applies.
- 02
What stays private
What a teen says in session stays between the teen and the clinician, with the exceptions below. A parent hears general updates: how often sessions happen, what the work is about in broad terms and anything the teen agrees to share.
- 03
When a parent is told
If a clinician believes a teen or child is in danger of serious harm, or that someone else is, a parent is told. Clinicians also report abuse as the law requires, and share records when a court orders it.
- 04
Records
Parents can ask to see a child's records. A clinician may decide that a summary is better than the full record, and explains why. We keep records private and share them only as the law allows.
Common questions
What parents and teens ask
Will I know what my teen says in session?
Not word for word. You hear general updates on a schedule you agree on, and anything your teen chooses to share. If a safety concern comes up, you will hear about it.
What if my teen does not want to come?
Many teens don't at first. We can begin with a parent session, and let your teen decide about a visit once they know who the clinician is and what stays private.
What if the parents disagree about care?
We ask each person with legal authority to agree before sessions start. If that is not possible, we explain what we can and cannot do.