To amend sections 2151.461, 3129.03, 3313.473, 3798.07, and 3798.12 and to repeal section 5122.04 of the Revised Code to prohibit the provision of mental health services to minors without parental consent.
HB172 would make a broad set of changes centered on parental consent, school notification, and minor mental health care. Its core provision would prohibit mental health professionals from diagnosing or treating a minor for a gender-related condition unless a parent, legal custodian, or guardian consents first. The bill also requires screening for comorbid mental health conditions and trauma during diagnosis and treatment. In addition, it would repeal section 5122.04 of the Revised Code, which is referenced in several existing consent and confidentiality provisions, and would amend related health-information statutes to align with the bill’s new consent framework.
The bill also creates or expands parental-rights requirements for public schools. School districts would have to adopt policies promoting parental involvement, provide advance access to instructional materials containing sexuality content, allow parents to excuse students from such instruction, notify parents about substantial changes in a student’s counseling or health-related services, and obtain parental authorization before providing health care services except in specified emergency or legally required situations. The bill further bars sexuality content in grades K-3 and establishes a complaint-and-appeal process for parents to raise concerns with school administrators and boards.
HB172 would significantly alter Ohio law governing minors’ access to mental health services, school-based health services, and school instruction involving sexuality or gender-related topics. It would amend sections 2151.461, 3129.03, 3313.473, 3798.07, and 3798.12 of the Revised Code and repeal section 5122.04, thereby changing existing consent and confidentiality rules for minors and health information exchanges. The bill would also impose new duties on school districts regarding parental notification, consent, curriculum review, and complaint resolution, while preserving exceptions for emergencies, IEPs, federal privacy law, mandatory reporting, and certain existing minor-consent statutes.
Based on the bill text and its sponsorship, the measure appears strongly aligned with parental-rights and school-transparency priorities. The bill was introduced with a sizable group of cosponsors, suggesting support among its backers for expanding parental control over minors’ mental health care and school-related services. No committee testimony or recorded votes were provided, so there is no formal evidence here of broader legislative support or opposition beyond the bill’s framing.
The main points of contention are likely to be the parental-consent requirement for mental health treatment of minors, especially for gender-related conditions, and the bill’s restrictions on school instruction and counseling practices. Supporters would likely emphasize parental authority, transparency, and oversight of children’s care, while opponents may argue that the bill could limit access to confidential mental health services, interfere with professional judgment, and create barriers for students who may not be able to safely involve a parent. The school provisions—particularly the ban on sexuality content in grades K-3 and the requirement to notify parents about mental-health-related changes—are also likely to be disputed by educators, child advocates, and LGBTQ-related advocacy groups.