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The judge, your caseworker, attorney, and CASA are all supposed to make sure you can express your opinion about your medical care. There are also special protections about “psychotropic” medicine—those medicines that impact your mood or behavior. If you have concerns or questions, speak up!
CPS cannot admit you to an inpatient mental health facility unless a doctor finds that you have a mental illness or symptoms of a serious emotional disorder and that there is a serious risk of harm to you or others if you are not immediately restrained or hospitalized.
You have a right to see a health care provider about birth control (contraceptives). The decision to provide you with birth control is between you and the provider. Your caseworker, or others, cannot prevent you from seeking birth control. Some forms of birth control, such as over-the-counter contraceptive pills, Plan B emergency contraceptive pills, and condoms don’t even require a visit to a health care provider. If your caregiver will not take you to a health care provider for family planning or tells you that you can’t go, your caseworker must make sure you get to go and help with arrangements to get you there.
Once you are 16, you have the right to ask the judge for permission to make some or all of your medical decisions. Be sure to speak up and tell everyone in your case that you want to do this. You will need to complete the CPS Medical Consent Training. Completing the training is a good way to show you are mature enough to be making your own health care decisions. If you take psychotropic medications, there is a Psychotropic Medication Training you can take to learn more about them. CPS is required to have a health care professional help 17-year-old youth learn how to manage their psychotropic medications. Being more involved in making your medical decisions will help you prepare to be responsible to handle your health care when you turn 18.
Abortion is currently banned in Texas.
You should know that if you feel you were harmed by over-medication or other severe mistreatment, you may have a legal cause of action, which means you may be able to sue the person or entity that harmed you. You must file a lawsuit within two years of turning 18.