The Alaska State Senate passed a bill that would let schools bypass parental consent and either recommend or actually deliver psychological and psychiatric therapy to children without obtaining parental consent.
Approved in a 14-5 vote on April 24, Senate Bill 240 would empower a “mental health professional working within the public school system” to obtain consent for treatment from teens who are at least 16 years old. This could include outpatient behavioral or mental health services.
Additionally, the “mental health professional” providing these services could conceal the treatment from parents if they believe divulging this information would be “harmful to the minor receiving services.” …
Sen. Cathy Giessel (R-Anchorage) then took the original bill and successfully amended it in committee by inserting language that cuts parents out of the decision-making process when it comes to schools offering mental health services to teens.