Your Mental Health Information and Records

If you are 13 or older, you can get mental health treatment without a parent or legal guardian’s consent.

If you are age 13 to 17, your parent or legal guardian can consent for mental health treatment, even if you do not consent.

All notes from your mental health visits are added in the Seattle Children’s electronic medical record which can viewed by all Seattle Children’s medical providers. In addition, Washington State law requires or allows your mental health providers to share mental health information without your consent in the following circumstances. Your provider can:

• Talk with others when you tell them you may hurt yourself or others, or if you have been a victim of child abuse. Your provider may also talk with others if you tell them about another child being abused.
• Share with your parents and legal guardians, if the provider believes that sharing is in your best interest. Your provider will talk with you about what they want to share as well as your concerns. They may still choose to share information and will explain their reasons for doing so. Your provider also will write down your concerns in the medical record.
• Share with your other mental health and medical providers outside of Seattle Children’s. They can access your mental health records for treatment and to coordinate care.
• Share information by making a referral to new providers or agencies that are recommended to provide you with care.

It is important that all of your providers know your medical and mental health conditions, so we can all provide you with the best care.

It is important that you feel comfortable sharing private information with your therapist. If your therapist wants to share information with your parent or legal guardian, they will talk with you about it. Here are some examples of the type of information that might be shared even if you are age 13 to 17 and have consented to your own treatment:

• Diagnosis and recommendations for treatment
• Progress in treatment
• Medications that are recommended, included risks and benefits, how often and how much of the medication you should take, and side effects to look for
• Crisis prevention and safety planning
• Referrals for other services in the community that may be helpful to you and your family
• Changes your parent may need to make to help you (This is sometimes called “parent training” or “parent coaching”)

Seattle Children’s providers can access your mental health records by reviewing all notes that are in the electronic medical record.

Outside providers can access your mental health records by:

• Receiving faxed or mailed records sent by your provider.
• Viewing information in the electronic medical record through EpicCareEverywhere, if your provider has this type of access.

Please make sure we have the most current information about your primary care provider and other providers who are treating you. Let us know right away if they change.

Talk with your Seattle Children’s Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine provider.