For younger adolescents who have had sex – and who bear some of the greatest risk factors for teen pregnancy – 60% report that their first sexual experience was not consensual. Such policies do not change adolescent health risk behaviors rather they drive them under the radar of clinical detection, prevention, and treatment, placing adolescents at greater risk for negative health outcomes.”įocus groups conducted with North Carolina youth echo the same sentiment: If required to get permission, youth would simply forgo preventative care, STD treatment, or timely prenatal care, but would not forgo sex.īeyond encouraging access to care, North Carolina’s minor’s consent law provides a lifeline to our most vulnerable youth: those with uninvolved parents and those who are victims of abuse at the hand of a parent or guardian. After reviewing the full body of available research, the Journal of Adolescent Health issued an opinion on parental consent laws, stating, “Mandatory parental notification policies seem to have adverse consequences on adolescent health. Research findings over several decades have indicated that concerns about privacy and parental consent requirements dissuade youth from seeking critical health care services. Furthermore, 83% of North Carolina parents favor the state’s minor’s consent law. The law explicitly excludes abortion and admission to a 24-hour facility, which both require parental permission.Īll evidence shows it encourages healthy behaviors and personal responsibility, stems the spread of disease, reduces teen pregnancy rates, and encourages the involvement of adults. In North Carolina, a minor can see a medical professional for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of: North Carolina, like every other state in the US, protects a minor’s ability to consent to certain medical services. We strongly favor North Carolina’s minor’s consent law.
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