In Illinois, a new law is crossing a line. Any minor age 12 or older can now request and receive counseling or psychotherapy on an outpatient basis, without needing any parental consent. Yes—schools and mental health providers are now empowered to act behind parents’ backs. The law mandates that providers inform parents only if the minor consents—unless the provider decides “consent would be detrimental.” In that case, the provider can seek supervisor approval to continue therapy in secret.
This is a Pandora’s Box. A child who wants to push boundaries can claim parental involvement is harmful, and then proceed in silence. The law treats 12-year-olds as experts in their inner lives, more entitled to secrecy than parental oversight. That’s especially dangerous in a culture where ideologues are pushing gender ideology, sexual confusion, and psychological experimentation on vulnerable youth. These children are entrusted to “professionals” who may have agendas—not to guard their well-being, but to push ideological conformity.
And make no mistake: this isn’t limited to Illinois. In California, AB 665 went into effect July 1, 2024, enabling public schools to provide mental health services to minors aged 12+ without consent, even billing through Medi-Cal confidentially. This sinister shift pushes a major assumption: the state knows better than parents. It sows distrust in families. It teaches children to keep secrets from their moms and dads. It marginalizes religious or moral values in favor of bureaucratic prescription. Our default must be: parents know their children best.
Fortunately, pushback remains possible. Across the country, conservative organizations are arming parents with opt-out resources and legal tools. In Illinois, parties might band together to sue, or districts could be compelled to honor opt-out protocols. We must force public officials and courts to defend parental authority, religious conviction, and constitutional limits.
If you want to dive deeper into this fight, visit PhyllisSchlafly.com today and request a free copy of the book Child Abuse in the Classroom. We’ll be send you a free copy. Just contact us at PhyllisSchlafly.com and join us next time for the Phyllis Schlafly Report.
This post originally appeared at https://phyllisschlafly.com/family/psychotherapy-for-schoolchildren-without-parental-notification/
Phyllis Schlafly