The Vermont Statutes Online

Title 18: Health

Chapter 196: Outpatient Mental Health Treatment for Minors

• Subchapter 001: CONSENT BY MINORS FOR MENTAL HEALTH CARE

• § 8350. Consent by minors for mental health treatment

  A minor may give consent to receive any legally authorized outpatient treatment from a mental health professional, as defined in section 7101 of this title. Consent under this section shall not be subject to disaffirmance due to minority of the person consenting. The consent of a parent or legal guardian shall not be necessary to authorize outpatient treatment. As used in this section, “outpatient treatment” means psychotherapy and other counseling services that are supportive, but not prescription drugs. (Added 2017, No. 35, § 1, eff. Jan. 1, 2018.)

• Subchapter 002: PROHIBITION OF CONVERSION THERAPY

• § 8351. Definitions

  As used in this chapter:

  (1) “Conversion therapy” means any practice by a mental health care provider that seeks to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, including efforts to change behaviors or gender expressions or to change sexual or romantic attractions or feelings toward individuals of the same sex or gender. “Conversion therapy” does not include psychotherapies that:

  (A) provide support to an individual undergoing gender transition; or

  (B) provide acceptance, support, and understanding of clients or the facilitation of clients’ coping, social support, and identity exploration and development, including sexual-orientation-neutral or gender-identity-neutral interventions to prevent or address unlawful conduct or unsafe sexual practices without seeking to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

  (2) “Mental health care provider” means a person licensed to practice medicine pursuant to 26 V.S.A. chapter 23, 33, or 81 who specializes in the practice of psychiatry; a psychologist, a psychologist-doctorate, or a psychologist-master as defined in 26 V.S.A. § 3001; a clinical social worker as defined in 26 V.S.A. § 3201; a clinical mental health counselor as defined in 26 V.S.A. § 3261; a licensed marriage and family therapist as defined in 26 V.S.A. § 4031; a psychoanalyst as defined in 26 V.S.A. § 4051; any other allied mental health professional; or a student, intern, or trainee of any such profession. (Added 2015, No. 138 (Adj. Sess.), § 2.)

• § 8352. Treatment of minors

  A mental health care provider shall not use conversion therapy with a client younger than 18 years of age. (Added 2015, No. 138 (Adj. Sess.), § 2.)

• § 8353. Unprofessional conduct

  Any conversion therapy used on a client younger than 18 years of age by a mental health care provider shall constitute unprofessional conduct as provided in the relevant provisions of Title 26 and shall subject the mental health care provider to discipline pursuant to the applicable provisions of that title and of 3 V.S.A. chapter 5. (Added 2015, No. 138 (Adj. Sess.), § 2.)