600.1 Any person who is eighteen (18) years of age or older may consent to the provision of health services for himself or herself, or for his or her child or spouse.

600.2 Any minor who is seventeen (17) years of age or more may consent to voluntarily donate blood to a nonprofit organization, being regarded as having achieved his or her majority for the purposes of this section.

600.3 A minor parent may consent to the provisions of health services to his or her child.

600.4 Health services may be provided to a minor of any age without parental consent when, in the judgement of the treating physician, surgeon, or dentist, the delay that would result from attempting to obtain parental consent would substantially increase the risk to the minor's life, health, mental health, or welfare, or would unduly prolong suffering.

600.5 A health professional may render or attempt to render emergency service of first aid, medical, surgical, dental, or psychiatric treatment without compensation to any injured person or any person regardless of age who is in need of immediate health care when, in good faith, the professional believes that the giving of aid is the only alternative to probable death or serious physical or mental damage.

600.6 In an emergency where major surgery or any dangerous procedures will be performed, concurrence of another physician shall, if practical, be obtained.

600.7 A minor of any age may consent to health services which he or she requests for the prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of the following medical situations:

(a) Pregnancy or its lawful termination;

(b) Substance abuse, including drug and alcohol abuse; and

(c) A mental or emotional condition and sexually transmitted disease.

600.8 Self-consent of minors shall not apply to sterilization, such as tubal ligation or vasectomy.

600.9 [REPEALED]

600.10 (a) A minor who is sixteen ( 16) years of age or more and enrolled in a Medicaid or DC HealthCare Alliance health benefits plan may:

(1) Request their medical records from a health care provider without parental consent; and

(2) Make medical appointments and consent to the provision of eligible health services for themselves without parental consent; provided, that the minor is capable of meeting the informed consent standard.

(b) For the purposes of this subsection, the term:

(1) "Eligible health services" means primary care, dental, and vision health services, but shall not include specialist care, emergency care, surgery, or vaccinations; provided, that nothing in this definition shall be construed to limit or prevent a minor from seeking any health service that a minor is otherwise entitled to under any other provision in this chapter.

(2) "Informed consent standard" means the minor is able to comprehend the need for, the nature of, and any significant risks ordinarily inherent in the health services to be provided.

SOURCE: Regulation No. 74-22 (August 30, 1974), 21 DCR 477 (September 16, 1974), 6H DCRR § 2 (1982); as amended by § 2 of the Minors Health Consent Regulation, effective November 17, 1981 (D.C. Law 4-52; 28 DCR 4348 (October 9, 1981)); as amended by § 5 of the Preventive Health Services Amendments Act of 1985, effective February 21, 1986 (D.C. Law 6-83; 32 DCR 7276, 7282 (December 13, 1985)); as amended by Minor Consent for Vaccinations Amendment Act of 2020, effective March 16, 2021; (D.C. Law 23-193; 67 DCR 014774 (December 25, 2020)); as amended by the Consent for Vaccination of Minors Amendment Act of 2022, effective March 10, 2023 (D.C. Law 24-312; 70 DCR 000598 (January 20, 2023)); as amended by the Minor Access to Medical Records and Appointments Regulations Amendment Act of 2024, effective March 23, 2024 (D.C. Law 25-145; 71 DCR 00 3861 (April 5, 2024)).