Adolescent LGBTQ+ youth have unique healthcare needs as a result, there is a great need in providing access to information surrounding the legal rights of this population. Therefore the Center for Children’s Advocacy provides a comprehensive list of resources for providers, parents, teens, and more to understand the legal rights of LGBTQ+ youth.
This list includes, for example, confidential care, transgender healthcare access, and mental health resources and care.
In Connecticut, there are legal rights for teens seeking confidential care and specific tools available to provide support and behavioral health interventions, such as local healthcare providers specializing in gender affirming care for children and youth.
Watch Our June 2023 Webinar, Healthcare Access for LGBTQ+ Youth, available on YouTube.
Areas Where Minors Can Provide Consent for Care
- *Abortion
- +STD Care and Treatment
- *HIV/AIDS
- +PrEP
- **Birth Control and Contraception
- **Pregnancy
- Mental Health Treatment
- Inpatient and Outpatient Care
- Substance Abuse Treatment
Note:
- Minors, anyone under the age of 18, cannot legally provide informed consent – patient acknowledging that the patient has been made aware of the risks and benefits of alternative procedures and the consequences resulting from those procedures.
- * Minor has statutory right to seek care
- **Contraception & Pregnancy subject to interpretation of Constitutional rights and not guaranteed by statute in Connecticut
Additional Resources
- Anchor Health
- Health Care Advocates International
- Middlesex Health Center for Gender Medicine and Wellness
- National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center
- Q Plus
- World Professional Association for Transgender Health
- PFLAG
- Connecticut Children’s Gender Program
- Yale New Haven Health Pediatric Gender Program
