Adolescent Proxy Access
Understanding Adolescent Privacy and Proxy Access in myUCLAhealth (Ages 12–17)
In California, adolescents gain important privacy rights at age 12, especially for certain types of health care. On a patient’s 12th birthday, California privacy laws take effect. At that time:
- Parents and guardians will automatically lose access to their child’s myUCLAhealth account.
- The adolescent patient becomes eligible to activate their own myUCLAhealth account.
- Once their account is activated, the adolescent can give consent for their parent or guardian to have limited proxy access.
This process is required by California law and is a normal part of adolescent care.
After an adolescent activates their account and provides verbal consent at an appointment, a parent/guardian will have limited proxy access.
How to Stay Involved in an Adolescent’s Care
While a parent or guardian’s myUCLAhealth access automatically changes on their child’s 12th birthday, their role remains essential.
A parent or guardian is still a key partner in their adolescent’s health, growth and well-being. This period from age 12 to 17 is not about stepping back — it’s about supporting the adolescent as they gain more privacy and begin using their own account, while staying involved in their care. Parents and guardians help adolescents build healthy habits, prepare for appointments and learn how to take responsibility for their health over time.
At UCLA Health, we see this stage as a shared partnership between the parent or guardian, their adolescent and their adolescent’s care team. Many families find this stage works best when parents stay engaged through conversation, encouragement and collaboration with the care team — rather than through portal access alone.
This is a normal (and legally required) part of care in California. This page will walk parents and guardians through what changes, what stays the same and how to help their family prepare.
Why Does Access Change at Age 12?
California law protects the confidentiality of specific services once adolescents are old enough to consent to them on their own. This privacy gives adolescents space to speak openly with their providers, while still encouraging healthy communication and ongoing involvement from parents and guardians whenever possible.
What Parents/Guardians Still Have Access To
Once an adolescent activates their myUCLAhealth account and provides consent for limited proxy access to their parent or guardian, they will continue to see some nonconfidential health information, including:
- Growth charts
- Health reminders
- Immunization history
- Information about allergies
- Provider details (under their “Care Team” list)
- School and sports forms
What Becomes Confidential at Age 12
Parents will no longer have access to information that California law considers confidential for adolescents. This includes information in myUCLAhealth related to:
- Mental health counseling
- Substance use counseling and treatment
- Topics related to sexuality and sexual health (contraception, pregnancy and prenatal care, HIV testing, sexual assault care, STI testing/treatment, abortion care)
- Other confidential services
Parents will no longer be able to see the following information in myUCLAhealth:
- Past or upcoming appointments
- Visit notes
- Medications tied to confidential services
- Messages between their child and their child’s care team
- Sensitive or confidential lab results
- Video visit access
What Your Adolescent Will Access
Patients ages 12–17 will have access to:
- Appointments and scheduling
- Confidential and nonconfidential test results
- Messages with their care team
- Their medications and visit summaries
- Video visits
What Happens on an Adolescent’s 12th Birthday
As soon as a child turns 12:
- Their parent or guardian will automatically lose access to their myUCLAhealth account
- The adolescent will need to activate their own myUCLAhealth account so they can access scheduling, messaging, video visits and more. A myUCLAhealth account can be activated at the doctor’s office at a 12-year-old well visit or at any other appointment.
- The adolescent will need to give verbal consent to allow their parent or guardian limited proxy access.
- After verbal consent is provided, the parent or guardian can confirm with their child’s doctor’s office that they have limited proxy access.
The adolescent’s care team can help guide them through this process.
How Parents Can Prepare Before Their Child Turns 12
When your child turns 11, follow these steps to make the process as smooth as possible:
Confirm your current proxy access
Most parents already have full proxy access until their child turns 12.
To confirm:
- Ask your child’s clinic at any visit, or
- Check in myUCLAhealth to ensure that your adolescent is listed within your Sharing Hub under “Friends and Family Access,” within the section titled “Whose records can I see?”
If your child is not listed, your child’s clinic can quickly set up full proxy access.
Talk about the upcoming change
Let your child know their privacy will increase at age 12 and that this is directed by law in California. Reassure them that while they’ll have more privacy, you are still there to support them and work together with their doctor as a team.
Help activate your adolescent’s myUCLAhealth account (on or after their 12th birthday)
Your adolescent becomes eligible to activate their own myUCLAhealth account on or after their 12th birthday.
Once activated, they will be able to:
- View their test results
- Message their care team
- Schedule appointments
- Join video visits
- Manage their health information
After activation, your adolescent can give verbal consent to allow you to have limited proxy access.
Your clinic can help your adolescent:
- Receive an activation code
- Create their username and password
- Log in for the first time
Learn more about signing up for myUCLAhealth.
Make sure your adolescent gives verbal consent
On or after their 12th birthday, your child must give verbal consent for you to have limited proxy access. This usually happens during the 12-year wellness visit and takes just a moment.
Once your child says “yes,” your limited proxy access becomes active and stays in place unless changed later.
Update your contact information
Make sure the clinic has your correct:
- Email (must match your myUCLAhealth account)
- Mobile phone number
- Preferred communication method
Accurate information ensures your limited proxy access works properly and that you continue to have limited access to your adolescent’s myUCLAhealth account.
Help your adolescent learn myUCLAhealth basics
Spend a few minutes showing them how to:
- Make appointments
- Send a message to their care team
- Join a video visit
- Request medication refills
- View test results
This helps your adolescent feel confident in knowing how to navigate the system.
Use the 12-year wellness visit to ask questions
Your child’s care team is happy to walk you through:
- How limited proxy access works
- How to activate or update accounts
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my access change suddenly on my child’s 12th birthday?
California privacy law requires that full parent portal access automatically changes when a child turns 12.
Your adolescent becomes eligible to activate their own myUCLAhealth account at that time. Once they activate their account and give verbal consent at an appointment, you can continue to view important nonconfidential information through limited proxy access.
Your care team can help guide you through this process.
How can I stay involved in my adolescent’s health care?
Staying involved often looks different after age 12, but it is still very important. You can support your adolescent by talking openly about their health, helping them prepare for appointments, attending visits when appropriate and encouraging them to share concerns with their provider.
Your adolescent’s care team is happy to help guide these conversations and support your family during this time.
How can I talk with my child’s doctor during this time?
Your child’s doctor continues to partner with both you and your child. You are welcome to share general concerns, ask questions about growth and development and seek guidance on how best to support your adolescent’s health.
During visits, providers often help balance private time with your child and shared discussion with parents, depending on your family’s needs and the situation.
Support my adolescent if I can’t see everything in their myUCLAhealth?
Even without full portal access, parents play a vital role by offering support, listening without judgment and helping adolescents navigate care when needed. Many families find regular check-ins and shared conversations about health help adolescents feel supported while also building independence.
What can I still access as a parent?
You’ll continue to see immunizations, provider details, growth charts, information about allergies and school/sports forms.
What will I no longer be able to see?
You won’t be able to view messaging, confidential notes, sensitive labs, appointments, medications or access their video visits in myUCLAhealth.
Can I still schedule appointments for my adolescent?
Yes, but not through myUCLAhealth. You can call the clinic directly to schedule appointments.
If your adolescent has their own myUCLAhealth account, they can request or schedule an appointment through myUCLAhealth.
Can I still refill my adolescent’s medications?
No. Your child needs to request refills through their own account or by contacting the clinic.
Do I still receive reminders?
No. Appointment reminders will go to the adolescent’s myUCLAhealth account and text reminders to the phone number associated with their myUCLAhealth account.
Will my adolescent get their own myUCLAhealth account?
Yes. Your adolescent becomes eligible to activate their own myUCLAhealth account on or after their 12th birthday. Once activated, they will be able to view their health information, communicate with their care team and manage appointments.
At that time, they can also give verbal consent to allow you limited proxy access. Your clinic can help with activation during any visit on or after their 12th birthday.
Do I need consent from my adolescent to stay a proxy?
Yes. For ages 12–17, your adolescent must give verbal consent during an appointment to allow you limited proxy access. This access will be more limited than the access you have before your child turns 12.
What happens at age 18?
Your adolescent becomes an adult in the eyes of health care privacy law.
If they want you to maintain access to their patient portal after their 18th birthday, they must grant it using the Proxy Invite feature in myUCLAhealth.
Where can I get help?
Your child’s clinic is the best place to get personalized assistance. You can ask questions during your child’s 12-year wellness visit or at any time. You can also call the myUCLAhealth support line at 855-364-7052 or email [email protected]. We are here for you.
This stage is a normal part of growing up, and every family navigates it differently. UCLA Health is here to support you and your child every step of the way — answering questions, offering guidance and helping your family stay connected through this important stage.