Question

One very sensitive area of minor consent, is when they minors can seek medical advice and treatment without the knowledge of their parent or guardian. These areas include pregnancy and abortion, contraceptives, drug addiction, and mental illness. In your opinion, do you think that minors under the age should be allowed to consent to treatment in these areas without their parent or guardian’s knowledge? Back up your answer with solid information found by researching. What is the legal age of consent in Connecticut? Make sure to list any sites that you reference.

Answer 1

Minors have the right to decide about their health care decision. But many of the states remain active in parental control over reproductive health. Minors need to authorize to consent to contraceptive services, testing of HIV, treatment of STDs, substance abuse, and mental illness. Policymakers still facing problems in balancing between parenteral rights and minority rights. Minors expect for confidential services in health care. The sexually active adolescent will need minor consent laws to protect their life. Consent Laws encourages the sexually active adolescent to access of health care services at need. Parental consent makes delay of care in adolescent which increases the health risk. If the States are not assuring confidential care, then the minors simply withdraw from seeking of health care. Thus ultimately increases the substance users and mental illness rate.

The legal age of consent in Connecticut is 16 years of age who is sexually active. In the case of rape, children aged over 13 can give consent but not able to legally consent for sexually active. If the offender is the victim's guardian, then the age for consent increases to 18 years old.