⚫ New Jersey now allows minors as young as 16 to receive mental health treatment
⚫ There is a movement to lower the minimum age.
⚫Opponents say the proposal violates parents’ rights
New Jersey lawmakers are interfering with the role of parents, say critics of a bill that has already been given the green light by their caucus.
Currently, in New Jersey, minors as young as 16 are legally allowed to receive in-person mental health counseling without the consent of a parent or guardian.
The bill, which was the focus of two hours of debate Thursday, would lower the minimum age to 14.
Mary Abrams, senior health policy analyst at the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies, says it’s best when parents are deeply involved in their children’s lives and able to spot potential mental health issues. He said not everything is possible. family.
And in some cases, parents may be at the root of a child’s problem for a child seeking temporary outpatient treatment, she says.
“In New Jersey and across the nation, we are currently experiencing a teen mental health crisis and have been experiencing a teen mental health crisis and an ongoing suicide crisis for some time,” Abrams said. “I am doing so,” he said.
Abrams argued that outpatient behavioral health care should be available to anyone who seeks it. Telephone support already exists. For example, New Jersey’s own 2nd Floor Youth Helpline provides 24/7 care to individuals ages 10 to 24.
opposed to lowering the age
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex) and Sen. Raj Mukherji (D-Hudson), was voted 5-1, with one abstention and one opposition, in the Senate Health, Human Services and Seniors vote. It passed the committee. -Vote.
Several parents and organizations expressed opposition to the bill before it was voted on.
Gregory Quinlan, president of the Garden State Families Center, criticized the proposal as “another vehicle to promote special rights” for LGBTQ individuals.
“This is a grooming bill to codify alternative sexual identity fraud,” Quinlan told a Senate committee. “These identities continue to be increasingly transmitted to groomed children who question the scientifically obvious reality that there are only two genders.”
Former state Sen. Ed Dua testified against the bill as a parent, calling it horrible, stupid and ill-conceived.
“Parents and guardians should always be involved in all decisions regarding children and their welfare,” Dru said.
To become law, the bill must be passed by all members of the Senate and all members of the Assembly and signed by Gov. Phil Murphy.
In 2017, then-Gov. Chris Christie signed a bill allowing minors as young as 16 to receive mental health treatment without their consent. He had vetoed the original bill, which did not specify a minimum age.
Another bill that would have lowered the minimum permit age to 13 died Thursday in favor of S1188.
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