that would allow therapists to take children from families without notice or provocation

A California Judiciary Committee heard testimony on Tuesday for and against a bill that would allow a mental health professional to place a child as young as 12 in a residential shelter facility without parental knowledge or consent and without there being any prior allegations of incest or child abuse.

Assembly Member Wendy Carrillo said she was proud to present AB 665 to expand access to mental health care for young people as communities face a mental health crisis, but Erin Friday, attorney and co-founder of parent group Our Duty, called the bill “state-sanctioned kidnapping.”