A. An unemancipated minor fourteen years of age or older who has capacity to consent may give consent for medically necessary health care; provided that the minor is:

(1) living apart from the minor's parents or legal guardian; or

(2) the parent of a child.

B. For purposes of this section, "medically necessary health care" means clinical and rehabilitative, physical, mental or behavioral health services that are:

(1) essential to prevent, diagnose or treat medical conditions or that are essential to enable an unemancipated minor to attain, maintain or regain functional capacity;

(2) delivered in the amount and setting with the duration and scope that is clinically appropriate to the specific physical, mental and behavioral health-care needs of the minor;

(3) provided within professionally accepted standards of practice and national guidelines; and

(4) required to meet the physical, mental and behavioral health needs of the minor, but not primarily required for convenience of the minor, health-care provider or payer.

C. The consent of the unemancipated minor to examination or treatment pursuant to this section shall not be disaffirmed because of minority.

D. The parent or legal guardian of an unemancipated minor who receives medically necessary health care is not liable for payment for those services unless the parent or legal guardian has consented to such medically necessary health care; provided that the provisions of this subsection do not relieve a parent or legal guardian of liability for payment for emergency health care provided to an unemancipated minor.

E. A health-care provider or a health-care institution shall not be liable for reasonably relying on statements made by an unemancipated minor that the minor is eligible to give consent pursuant to Subsection A of this section.

F. Nothing in this section shall otherwise limit the rights of an unemancipated minor to consent to treatment, nor shall this section be read to conflict with the rights of parents and children pursuant to the Children's Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Act [32A-6A-1 to 32A-6A-30 NMSA 1978].

History: 1978 Comp., § 24-7A-6.2, as enacted by Laws 2009, ch. 220, § 3.

Effective dates. — Laws 2009, ch. 220 contained no effective date provision, but, pursuant to N.M. Const., art. IV, § 23, was effective June 19, 2009, 90 days after the adjournment of the legislature.