Under current Ohio law, minors age 14 and older can receive limited outpatient mental health services temporarily without parental consent. HB 172 would eliminate this pathway entirely, requiring parental consent for all mental health treatment for minors.
This matters profoundly for LGBTQIA+ youth because confidentiality can be crucial where a parent or guardian is unsupportive, or where disclosure of sexual orientation or gender identity creates risk of rejection, discipline, or abuse. Removing the ability to access confidential therapy eliminates a critical safety valve for vulnerable young people.