TREATING A MINOR IN ARIZONA
In Arizona, a minor is not considered the client; the parent(s) is/ are. It is our preference, however, that parents respect the confidentiality of my relationship with their child and trust that areas of concern where safety is involved will be disclosed by me if they arise.
While there are many clinicians in the valley who will treat a minor with only one parent’s consent, this is legally tricky and can be a potential pitfall for the counselor. For this reason, if parents are divorced or legally separated, BOTH must be present to give consent for treatment, unless otherwise specified in a Court Order. If this is the case, we require a copy of the Court Order for my records. If parents are married, only one parent is required to give consent for treatment.
