Idaho's parental consent law impedes 988 suicide crisis hotline access for some youth

A law requiring parental consent for almost any medical treatment provided to minors went into effect in Idaho in July 2024, and it has been hampering children’s access to care in unintended ways.

One of the affected entities is the Idaho 988 Crisis and Suicide Hotline.

More than 1,500 Idahoans between the ages of 5 and 17 contacted the hotline between when the parental consent law went into effect on July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, according to data provided by the Idaho Crisis and Suicide Hotline.

Some of those young people can’t move forward in their call without a parent giving permission.

Sometimes, a parent or guardian can get on the phone, according to Idaho 988 Director Lee Flinn, “but in most situations, the minor hangs up because they tell us they feel like they can’t do that.”

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2025/08/31/idahos-parental-consent-law-impedes-988-suicide-crisis-hotline-access-for-some-youth/