(405 ILCS 5/3-550)

Sec. 3-550. Minors 12 years of age or older request to receive counseling services or psychotherapy on an outpatient basis.

(a) Any minor 12 years of age or older may request and receive counseling services or psychotherapy on an outpatient basis. The consent of the minor's parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis shall not be necessary to authorize outpatient counseling services or psychotherapy. However, until the consent of the minor's parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis has been obtained, outpatient counseling services or psychotherapy provided to a minor under the age of 17 shall be initially limited to not more than 8 90-minute sessions. The service provider shall consider the factors contained in subsection (a-1) of this Section throughout the therapeutic process to determine, through consultation with the minor, whether attempting to obtain the consent of a parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis would be detrimental to the minor's well-being. No later than the eighth session, the service provider shall determine and share with the minor the service provider's decision as described below:

(1) If the service provider finds that attempting to obtain consent would not be detrimental to the minor's well-being, the provider shall notify the minor that the consent of a parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis is required to continue counseling services or psychotherapy.

(2) If the minor does not permit the service provider to notify the parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis for the purpose of consent after the eighth session the service provider shall discontinue counseling services or psychotherapy and shall not notify the parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis about the counseling services or psychotherapy.

(3) If the minor permits the service provider to notify the parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis for the purpose of consent, without discontinuing counseling services or psychotherapy, the service provider shall make reasonable attempts to obtain consent. The service provider shall document each attempt to obtain consent in the minor's clinical record. The service provider may continue to provide counseling services or psychotherapy without the consent of the minor's parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis if:

(A) the service provider has made at least 2 unsuccessful attempts to contact the minor's parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis to obtain consent; and

(B) the service provider has obtained the minor's written consent.

(4) If, after the eighth session, the service provider of counseling services or psychotherapy determines that obtaining consent would be detrimental to the minor's well-being, the service provider shall consult with his or her supervisor when possible to review and authorize the determination under subsection (a) of this Section. The service provider shall document the basis for the determination in the minor's clinical record and may then accept the minor's written consent to continue to provide counseling services or psychotherapy without also obtaining the consent of a parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis.

(5) If the minor continues to receive counseling services or psychotherapy without the consent of a parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis beyond 8 sessions, the service provider shall evaluate, in consultation with his or her supervisor when possible, his or her determination under this subsection (a), and review the determination every 60 days until counseling services or psychotherapy ends or the minor reaches age 17. If it is determined appropriate to notify the parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis and the minor consents, the service provider shall proceed under paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of this Section.

(6) When counseling services or psychotherapy are related to allegations of neglect, sexual abuse, or mental or physical abuse by the minor's parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis, obtaining consent of that parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis shall be presumed to be detrimental to the minor's well-being.

(a-1) Each of the following factors must be present in order for the service provider to find that obtaining the consent of a parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis would be detrimental to the minor's well-being:

(1) requiring the consent or notification of a parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis would cause the minor to reject the counseling services or psychotherapy;

(2) the failure to provide the counseling services or psychotherapy would be detrimental to the minor's well-being;

(3) the minor has knowingly and voluntarily sought the counseling services or psychotherapy; and

(4) in the opinion of the service provider, the minor is mature enough to participate in counseling services or psychotherapy productively.

(a-2) The minor's parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis shall not be informed of the counseling services or psychotherapy without the written consent of the minor unless the service provider believes the disclosure is necessary under subsection (a) of this Section. If the facility director or service provider intends to disclose the fact of counseling services or psychotherapy, the minor shall be so informed and if the minor chooses to discontinue counseling services or psychotherapy after being informed of the decision of the facility director or service provider to disclose the fact of counseling services or psychotherapy to the parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis, then the parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis shall not be notified. Under the Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Confidentiality Act, the facility director, his or her designee, or the service provider shall not allow the minor's parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis, upon request, to inspect or copy the minor's record or any part of the record if the service provider finds that there are compelling reasons for denying the access. Nothing in this Section shall be interpreted to limit a minor's privacy and confidentiality protections under State law.

(b) The minor's parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis shall not be liable for the costs of outpatient counseling services or psychotherapy which is received by the minor without the consent of the minor's parent, guardian, or person in loco parentis.

(c) Counseling services or psychotherapy provided under this Section shall be provided in compliance with the Professional Counselor and Clinical Professional Counselor Licensing and Practice Act, the Clinical Social Work and Social Work Practice Act, or the Clinical Psychologist Licensing Act.

(Source: P.A. 102-558, eff. 8-20-21.)