Colorado

Teen Mental Health Consent in Colorado: Therapy at 12, Services at 15, and I Matter

By Dr. Stacey Forbes, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC

Colorado has gone further than many states in making it possible for young people to reach a therapist on their own. A 12-year-old can start outpatient therapy without a parent’s signature, and the state pays for up to six free sessions through a program built for exactly that moment. Parents still have an important role, and the law is careful about when they are brought in. Here is how the pieces fit.

Therapy at 12

C.R.S. 12-245-203.5 allows a minor who is 12 years of age or older to seek and obtain outpatient psychotherapy services without the consent of a parent or legal guardian, as long as the mental health professional determines the young person is knowingly and voluntarily seeking services and that therapy is clinically indicated. The section covers licensed psychologists, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, professional counselors, and addiction counselors, among others. It does not cover inpatient treatment.

That is a notable difference from neighbouring states. Arizona generally requires a parent’s consent before any mental health treatment of a minor, and New Mexico sets its line at 14.

When parents are told

The law does not ask therapists to keep parents out; it asks them to use judgment. Under the same section, the professional may notify a parent with the minor’s consent, unless doing so would be inappropriate or detrimental to the young person. The professional must engage the minor in a discussion about the importance of involving a parent. They may notify a parent without the minor’s consent if, in their professional opinion, the minor is unable to manage their own care or treatment. And they must notify a parent if the minor communicates a serious threat of imminent physical violence against a specific person.

Services at 15

A separate statute sets a broader line at 15. Under C.R.S. 27-65-104, a minor 15 or older may consent to receive mental health services, and that consent cannot later be undone on the grounds that they were a minor. The provider may advise the minor’s parent or legal guardian of the services given or needed, with or without the minor’s consent.

Psychiatric medication involves prescribers and ongoing monitoring, and how these consent rules apply to a particular treatment is worth discussing openly with the provider. Most teens starting medication do best with a parent involved, whatever the legal minimum.

I Matter: up to six free sessions

I Matter was created by House Bill 21-1258 in 2021 and made permanent by Senate Bill 24-001 in May 2024. Managed by the Colorado Behavioral Health Administration, it connects youth 18 and younger — or 21 and younger for those receiving special education services — with a licensed therapist for up to six free counseling sessions. No insurance, credit card, or legal status information is required, and sessions are available in person or virtually.

Young people 12 and older can complete the short sign-up survey themselves; for youth 11 or younger, a parent or guardian must complete it. For a teenager who is not ready to talk to a parent yet, I Matter can be the first door.

• Sign up at IMatterColorado.org (a Spanish-language version is available)
• Sessions can be virtual, which helps in rural and mountain communities
• After six sessions, ask the therapist about next steps and how to involve family

Where psychiatric care fits

Therapy is often the right first step. When symptoms are more severe, keep returning, or may call for medication, a psychiatric evaluation can help. Willow & Stone provides teen and adolescent psychiatry by telehealth to patients located in Colorado, with a parent or guardian involved.

• 988 Colorado: call or text 988, in English or Spanish, at any hour — or find a walk-in crisis center through 988 Colorado.
• 911 if there is immediate danger.

Common Questions

Sources & Further Reading

• C.R.S. 12-245-203.5 — Minors; Consent for Outpatient Psychotherapy
• C.R.S. 27-65-104 — Voluntary Applications; Treatment of Minors
• I Matter Colorado
• NIMH — Child and Adolescent Mental Health