It also does not include laws that allow minors who are married, pregnant, or in the military to consent, or states with court cases subscribing to the “mature minor doctrine” (which typically is not applied in practice by most health care providers). This document does not address state laws that empower minors to consent to other kinds of treatment, such as for substance abuse, mental health, sexually transmitted diseases, or reproductive health. If a state is not listed, we did not find any law allowing minors living on their own to consent for routine health care or diagnosis/treatment of infectious diseases, which means it is unlikely that unaccompanied homeless minors in that state will be able to receive such care or a vaccine without a parent or legal guardian.
#Order approving judicial consent form nc full#
Awareness and full implementation of these laws are particularly critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also includes states with laws allowing minors to consent for diagnosis and treatment of infectious, contagious, or reportable diseases, which would include COVID-19 testing.
This document includes 34 states, and the District of Columbia, with laws allowing minors who are living on their own, including unaccompanied minors experiencing homelessness, to consent for routine health care, which should include vaccinations unless explicitly exempted.