Bill > HB1070

This bill modifies the existing Colorado law regarding electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) for minors, establishing stricter conditions for performing the procedure on patients under 18. For minors aged 16-17, the bill requires two licensed psychiatrists to approve the treatment and the minor's parent, legal custodian, or legal guardian to provide consent. For minors aged 15 and younger, the bill adds more stringent requirements: at least one of the two approving psychiatrists must specialize in child and adolescent psychiatry, other less-invasive treatments must have failed, and the treatment must be performed by a physician trained in ECT. The bill removes the previous provision that ECT could only be performed for life-threatening malignant catatonia and expands the consent requirement to include the minor's parent, legal custodian, or legal guardian. These changes aim to provide additional safeguards and medical expertise when considering ECT for minors, ensuring that the treatment is carefully evaluated and approved by specialists with appropriate pediatric psychiatric experience.

Health and Social Services

https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb25-1070