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Parental Consent May Soon Be Required for Minor Mental Health Services in Ohio

Client Alert

HB 172 seeks to repeal ORC Section 5122.04, which permits mental health professionals to provide outpatient mental health services to minors ages fourteen (14) or older without parent/guardian knowledge or consent. Under current Ohio law, minors can consent to no more than six (6) sessions or thirty (30) days of mental health services, whichever occurs sooner. The repeal would require parental consent for minors ages fourteen (14) or older to receive outpatient mental health services.

HB 172 also seeks to remove language from ORC Section 3129.03 referencing ORC Section 5122.04 which, under the bill, would now mandate parent/guardian consent in all situations when a mental health professional is diagnosing or treating a gender-related condition without the existence of any statutory exception. Eliminating ORC Section 5122.04 would compromise the confidentiality of a minor’s protected health information by allowing their parents to access information related to utilization of mental health services. HB 172 had its first hearing in the House Health Committee on May 21, 2025.

Please contact BMD Healthcare Member Daphne Kackloudis at dlkackloudis@bmdllc.com or Attorney Jordan Burdick at jaburdick@bmdllc.com with any questions you may have regarding the potential impacts from this policy change.


Hurry Up, STOP. . .Has CTA Been Struck Down By Courts?

Following a recent case in Texas, uncertainty has arisen regarding whether clients should file "beneficial owners" reports. This is a result of the Federal Government enjoined from enforcing the CTA. Contact your BMD Member Blake Gerney to find out how this affects you.

DEA and HHS Issue its Third Extension of Telemedicine Flexibilities through 2025

The DEA and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have extended telemedicine flexibilities for prescribing controlled medications through December 31, 2025. This extension builds on temporary exceptions made in 2020 due to COVID-19, allowing providers to prescribe Schedule II-V controlled substances based on a telemedicine evaluation alone. The extension ensures continued patient access to necessary prescriptions and provides time for providers to comply with future regulations.

Medicare Making Changes to Improve Behavioral Health Care Access

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has introduced changes to Medicare’s behavioral health coverage, including allowing Marriage and Family Therapists and Mental Health Counselors to enroll independently, increasing reimbursements for crisis psychotherapy and substance use treatment, and expanding services via community health workers. These updates address gaps in care and improve access to mental health services for Medicare beneficiaries.

The Ohio Department of Medicaid Announces Four Next Generation MyCare Plans

On November 1, 2024, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) announced four managed care organizations that will become ODM’s Next Generation MyCare plans starting January 2026. MyCare Ohio is a managed care program that supports Ohioans across 29 counties enrolled in both Medicare and Medicaid.

Corporate Transparency Act Reporting Deadline: December 31

The Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”), which became effective January 1, 2024, imposes strict reporting guidelines on small business owners throughout the country.  The deadline for non-exempt businesses to submit reporting is December 31, 2024.