Committee examines H.657 provisions to let unaccompanied youth access care, with limited immunity for providers

The House Judiciary Committee on March 18 reviewed language in H.657 intended to let certified "unaccompanied youth" access services — including medical care, housing and employment-related contracts — without parental consent and to provide limited immunity to entities and professionals who contract with them.

Representative McGill, sponsor of the section under review, told the committee the provision mirrors language used in other states and seeks to lower barriers for teens who lack a parent or guardian. "This is a bill about about kids," she said, and added that 33 states have medical provisions and 18 of those also authorize access to shelter and accompanying services for unaccompanied youth.

McGill said the bill focuses on older teens and that the committee adopted 16- and 17-year-olds for this mechanism because, she said, "that's where their involvement with youth under 18 kind of becomes a little more hands-off" in available services. She told members Vermont tracked about 50 unaccompanied youth pre-COVID and about 132 in the last reported school year, but cautioned the figure likely undercounts the true population.

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