Official title: ""
What This Bill Does
Under current Ohio law, minors age 14 and older can receive limited outpatient mental health services temporarily without parental consent. HB 172 would eliminate this pathway entirely, requiring parental consent for all mental health treatment for minors.
Impact on LGBTQIA+ Ohioans
This matters profoundly for LGBTQIA+ youth because confidentiality can be crucial where a parent or guardian is unsupportive, or where disclosure of sexual orientation or gender identity creates risk of rejection, discipline, or abuse. Removing the ability to access confidential therapy eliminates a critical safety valve for vulnerable young people.
Legal & Constitutional Risks
- Youth Safety vs. Parental Authority — Core tension between consent rules and the safety of minors in hostile home environments
- Access to Crisis Care — Risk rises if the regime blocks access in situations involving self-harm threats or abuse
- Litigation risk increases where minors' health outcomes are linked to blocked care pathways
Timeline
March 12, 2025
Introduced in the House
March 19, 2025
Referred to House Health Committee
May 21, 2025
1st hearing
October 22, 2025
Proponent testimony
November 19, 2025
Opponent testimony