Teenagers who are undergoing mental issues may now take advantage of therapy, thanks to the new law passed in New Jersey that allows teens to seek therapy even without their parents' consent. This was made possible by a group of young people who were able to successfully lobby the law's passing.
According to a report by PhillyVoice, the group of teenagers from the Boys & Girls Club of Hudson County advocated for their right to seek therapy so as to reduce the number of suicide risks in teens. They gave due emphasis on the increasing suicide incidents among LGBT teens.
The new law allows teens 16 years and older to gain access to counselling sessions with therapists even if they don't seek permission from their parents. There are cases when parents of LGBTs, as well as those who are facing personal issues, refuse counselling for their sons and daughters despite the apparent need for such therapy.
This new law greatly affects teenagers suffering from personal issues, which they cannot bring out in the open in their own families. With this law, they now have an avenue to seek professional help even without the consent of their parents, who sometimes don't want them to undergo counselling.
There are two groups of teenagers who are at a higher risk of being in conflict with their own families. The first group is comprised of abused teenagers, and the second group is comprised of LGBTs. The National Runaway Safeline said that these teenagers often attempt suicide whenever their families reject them.
Assemblymen Raj Mukherji and Carmelo Garcia sponsored the bill through the persistent lobbying of the Boys & Girls Club. This club is an extension of The Keystone Club, an organization dedicated to providing community service.
Newsworks recounted the statement of Janet Wallach, who was one of the supporters of the legislation. She said, "They don't necessarily want to talk to their parents about all issues. They tend to seek out their peers or mentors."
With this new law, there is hope of reducing suicide incidents among teenagers. These therapies can help these troubled teenagers to make something good out of their lives.
