2011 New Mexico Statutes
Chapter 32A: Children's Code
Article 6A: Children's Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Act, 32A-6A-1 through 32A-6A-30
Section 32A-6A-16: Consent for services; determination of capacity for children fourteen years of age or older.

32A-6A-16. Consent for services; determination of capacity for children fourteen years of age or older.

A. When a child fourteen years of age or older has been determined according to the provisions of this section to lack capacity, the child's legal custodian may make a mental health or habilitation decision for the child unless the child objects to such decision or the legal custodian's assumption of authority to make mental health or developmental disability treatment decisions or determination of lack of capacity. Nothing in this subsection:

(1) permits a legal custodian to consent to placement of a child in a residential treatment or habilitation program without the proper consent of the child if the child is fourteen years of age or older; or

(2) in any way, limits a child's right to involuntary commitment procedures as set forth in the Children's Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Act.

B. The determination that a child fourteen years of age or older lacks or has recovered capacity shall be made by two clinicians, one of whom shall be a person who works with children in the ordinary course of that clinician's practice.

C. A child fourteen years of age or older shall not be determined to lack capacity solely on the basis that the child chooses not to accept the treatment recommended by the mental health or developmental disabilities professional.

D. A child fourteen years of age or older may at any time contest a determination that the child lacks capacity by a signed writing or by personally informing a clinician that the determination is contested. A clinician who is informed by a child that such determination is contested shall promptly communicate that the determination is contested to any supervising provider or institution at which the child is receiving care. Such a challenge shall prevail unless otherwise ordered by the court in a proceeding brought pursuant to the treatment guardianship provisions of the Children's Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Act.

E. A determination of lack of capacity under the Children's Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Act shall not be evidence of incapacity for any other purpose.

F. The legal custodian shall communicate an assumption of authority as promptly as practicable to the child fourteen years of age or older and to the clinician and to the supervising mental health or developmental disability treatment and habilitation provider.

G. If more than one legal custodian assumes authority to act as an agent, the consent of both shall be required for nonemergency treatment. In an emergency, the consent of one legal custodian is sufficient, but the treating mental health professional shall provide the other legal custodian with oral notice followed by written documentation.

H. If more than one legal custodian assumes authority to act as an agent and the legal custodians do not agree on a nonemergency mental health treatment decision and the clinician is so informed, the clinician shall not treat the child unless a treatment guardian is appointed pursuant to the provisions of the Children's Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities Act.

I. A legal custodian shall make treatment decisions in accordance with a child's individual instructions, if any, and other wishes to the extent known to the legal custodian. Otherwise, the legal custodian shall make decisions in accordance with the legal custodian's determination of the child's best interests. In determining the child's best interests, the legal custodian shall consider the child's personal values to the extent known to the legal custodian.

J. A mental health treatment decision made by a legal custodian for a child fourteen years of age or older who has been determined to lack capacity shall not be made solely on the basis of the child's pre-existing physical or medical condition or pre-existing or projected disability.

K. A mental health treatment decision made by a legal custodian for a child fourteen years of age or older who has been determined to lack capacity is effective without judicial approval unless contested by the child.

L. If no legal custodian or agent is reasonably available to make mental health or habilitation decisions for the child, any interested party may petition for the appointment of a treatment guardian.