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Making your practice teen-friendly
Adolescent barriers to services
Teen friendly services are critical to reaching teens and to promote adolescent health. Adolescents face barriers to services that are unique to their age group:
- Loss of confidentiality
- Cost
- Past poor treatment by adults
- Difficulty with transportation to appointments
- School, work and family schedules that conflict with appointments
- See also: Advocates for Youth: Advocates for Youth is dedicated to creating programs and advocating for policies that help young people make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health.
Confidentiality
In Washington state, all health care services offered at a family planning clinic are considered "confidential." This means youth of any age can get these services without a parent or guardian signing a consent form.
- Learn more about teenagers and confidentiality from Public Health's Teen Clinic website
- Mature Minor Rule (Smith v. Seibly, 1967 ruling, teens and confidentiality)