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Can a Teenager in Oregon Start Therapy Without a Parent's Permission?

In Oregon, a 14-year-old can consent to their own outpatient mental health treatment. That surprises most parents and most teenagers.

By Heather Swaney, MA, LPC 2 min read

A teenager in a hoodie sitting alone on wooden porch steps, seen from behind, wet autumn leaves on an Oregon street beyond

Short answer: yes, from age 14.

In Oregon, minors aged 14 and older can consent to their own outpatient mental health treatment. That right sits in ORS 109.675. In plain terms, a 14-year-old can call, schedule and attend therapy without a parent's permission.

This surprises almost everybody, teenagers included. It is worth knowing whichever side of it you are on.

What that does not mean

It does not mean I am trying to cut parents out. I am not, and in most cases I do not think it would help.

I work with teenagers and parents in a collaborative relationship, because that is usually what supports the teenager best. I use clinical judgment about when involving a parent or guardian makes sense, and I say so out loud rather than deciding it quietly. There are also exceptions, situations where involving a parent would be harmful to the young person, and those are real.

So the honest version is: the law gives a 14-year-old the door. What happens after they walk through it is a conversation, not a wall.

If you are the teenager

You can call. The first conversation is a free 30-minute call and it does not commit you to anything. You can ask me how confidentiality works before you tell me anything, which is a reasonable thing to want to know first and not at all a rude question.

You do not need a diagnosis, a reason that sounds serious enough, or a tidy explanation. Most people describe a situation rather than a problem. That is a perfectly good start.

If you are the parent

Your teenager choosing to start therapy on their own is not a verdict on your parenting. Sometimes it is a teenager wanting one room that is theirs, which is developmentally about the most normal thing there is.

Parent sessions are available alongside your teen's work, or on their own. Sometimes the most useful hour of the week is the one without your child in the room.

The usual caveat, which matters here

This is general information, not legal advice. If your family has a specific question about consent, custody or records, talk with someone who can advise you on your particular situation. I am a counselor, not an attorney, and the details of a custody order can change the answer.

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Heather Swaney, MA, LPC

Written by

Heather Swaney, MA, LPC

MA, LPC Eugene, Oregon Verified

I help people who are struggling and need someone to walk with them while they figure life out. Thirty years across schools, child welfare, residential care and disability advocacy, now in private practice in downtown Eugene. Children from age four through seniors, plus couples and families.

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