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Family

Medical authorization for a minor

When a child is in a caregiver's hands — summer camp, grandparent, school field trip — this lets that adult consent to urgent medical care if you can't be reached.

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Lo que incluye el paquete
Medical Authorization for a Minor
Authorization, 1 page
01
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When a child is in someone else's hands and gets hurt, the question becomes: can the adult on the scene get the kid into a doctor's office without you on the phone? This is the document that says yes.

Who this pack is for

You're a parent leaving your child in the care of another adult for hours or days — at summer camp, on a school field trip, with a grandparent for the weekend, with a babysitter who lives at your house, on a road trip with a friend's family. Your child is a minor. You can't always be reached by phone. You want the responsible adult to be able to get your child medical care if there's a fever, a broken arm, an allergic reaction, or any other situation where treatment shouldn't wait for you to land.

When to use it

Sign and hand over a copy whenever your child will be in another adult's care for more than a brief outing — overnight, all-day, or anywhere medical care could become necessary. Camps and schools usually have their own medical-authorization forms; sign theirs AND give the responsible adult this pack's authorization, because the camp's form covers the camp's medical staff and the pack's authorization covers any emergency room or urgent care the child might end up at. Update the authorization whenever facts change: new medications, new allergies, new pediatrician, change in custody.

What it doesn't cover

This is for routine and emergency medical care during a defined caregiving period. It is not a guardianship — the caregiver cannot enroll the child in school, take them out of state long-term, or make major life decisions. It does not authorize psychiatric hospitalization or non-emergency mental health treatment in most states (those have their own consent rules). It does not authorize abortion or contraception services where state law requires parental involvement, regardless of what the authorization says. It does not last forever — set a clear end date, typically the date the caregiving period ends.

State-specific notes

Rules vary by jurisdiction. Below are notes for the states where medical authorization for a minor runs into the most variance. If your state isn't listed, default to your state's tenant-rights handbook or local legal aid.

California (CA)
California has a specific Caregiver's Authorization Affidavit (Cal. Fam. Code § 6550) that lets a relative caring for a child make medical and educational decisions. It's broader than this pack's medical-only authorization and is recognized statewide. For non-relatives, a notarized authorization is standard.
Texas (TX)
Texas Family Code § 34 provides for an Authorization Agreement for Nonparent Relative or Voluntary Caregiver, which can grant broader caregiving authority including medical, educational, and limited-financial decisions. For temporary medical-only authorization, a signed and notarized letter (like the pack's) is generally sufficient.
New York (NY)
New York's Article 5-Title 15-A of the General Obligations Law allows parents to designate a person in parental relation, with broader authority than a simple medical authorization. For shorter caregiving periods (weeks rather than months), a signed medical authorization is standard practice; longer arrangements should use the formal designation.

Common questions

Will an emergency room actually accept this letter?
ERs are required to provide emergency care under EMTALA (42 U.S.C. § 1395dd) regardless of authorization or insurance — so for a true emergency, the letter isn't strictly necessary; the ER will treat first and ask questions later. The letter matters more for urgent care, doctor's offices, dental offices, and any non-emergency setting where they want a parent's consent before treating. Bring it; show it before the situation needs it.
Should I include insurance information?
Yes — the pack's form has a field for it. Include the insurance carrier, policy number, and group number, plus a copy of the front and back of the insurance card. The receiving provider's billing department needs this to bill insurance, and parents are often unreachable in the moment treatment is needed. The caregiver should also have a credit card or other payment method to cover copays.
What about over-the-counter meds and basic first aid?
These usually don't require formal authorization, but list any medications the child takes regularly (with dosage and timing) and any allergies (with severity and reaction) on the letter. Camps and schools often require a separate medication form for prescriptions; comply with both.
What if the caregiver is in a different state?
The authorization should travel with the child. State law where the treatment occurs governs whether the consent is valid. Most states accept reasonable parental authorizations, especially for emergency care. For ongoing out-of-state caregiving (a child living with grandparents in another state for a school year), use a more formal guardianship or power-of-attorney rather than this single-letter authorization.
Can the caregiver consent to surgery?
Emergency surgery: yes, under most state laws and under the pack's authorization, when delay would risk the child's health. Non-emergency or elective surgery: no, unless the authorization explicitly covers it (which the default does not — and shouldn't, because it's a much bigger decision). Non-emergency surgery should wait for parental consent or be authorized in a more specific writing.
What about psychiatric or mental health treatment?
Most states require parental consent for non-emergency mental health treatment of minors, and many have specific minor-consent laws for things like outpatient counseling (which a minor of certain age can consent to themselves). The pack's authorization does not cover this; for caregiving arrangements where mental health treatment might come up, talk to a family-law attorney about the right structure.
How long should the authorization last?
Match it to the caregiving period: a weekend, a week, a summer, a school year. Open-ended authorizations are valid but increasingly disfavored — providers want to see a recent, current authorization rather than one from 18 months ago. Re-sign if the caregiving arrangement extends.

Sources

Primary legal sources cited above. These link to free, public versions of the statutes, regulations, and case law referenced in this pack.

Pike provides plain-language legal information, not legal advice. State and local rules change. If money, custody, or your housing is on the line, talk to a licensed attorney or your local legal aid office.