The Parents' Bill of Rights governs schools and healthcare professionals and how they interact with mental health and physical health resources for students. This legislation establishes clear guidelines about parental notification, consent requirements, and involvement in decisions affecting their children's well-being. With that said, Somethings is a free statewide resource akin to 988 or the peer-warmline, other state-backed resources that schools often promote that don't require parent consent under certain circumstances.
It's important to understand the legal framework here: Somethings as a legal entity doesn't fall under the Parents' Bill of Rights, as we're not a healthcare provider but your school offering this service may be subject to these regulations when promoting or referring students to external resources. The distinction matters because while students can access Somethings independently (similar to how they might call 988), schools have specific obligations regarding how they introduce and recommend mental health resources.
We are aware of these complexities and have proactively developed specialized marketing materials for schools to help them comply with all relevant regulations. We have also created this comprehensive guide to help you navigate these requirements while still making this valuable resource available to students who could benefit from it. Our goal is to ensure schools can offer support resources while respecting both the letter and spirit of parental rights legislation.
The law is complex with many intersections between Somethings, your promotional efforts, and the Parents' Bill of Rights. Below are key areas of the law and how we support you in promoting Somethings. It's important to understand your main obligation: since you're not directly providing, funding, or contracting the service, it is most important that you avoid discouraging students from telling their parents, refrain from promoting the "no parent consent needed" aspect, and ensure you don't hide the service from parents—instead, proactively inform them about it.
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Today, teens can download the Somethings app independently of the school and connect with a mentor without parent consent. We’ve supported 5,000 + teens on our app across North Carolina who have found us independently and used our app. Your role is simply to prompt the service to help spread the word, similar to 988. The service is already available to teens in the state, including the teens in your district, and is already funded by NCDHHS.
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School personnel shall not discourage or prohibit parental notification of and involvement in critical decisions affecting a student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being. (§115C-76.45(e))
What it means: Staff cannot block or avoid informing parents about major mental health supports offered to their child. Withholding or discouraging family involvement could be considered a violation.
How to comply: When introducing Somethings, staff should frame it as a helpful resource and also remind students to talk to their parents if they use it. If staff make a direct referral, they should notify parents and get consent first. Making a direct referral or singing a specific kid out should involve parental consent or notification, but more general marketing, such as a classroom pretension, posters, postcards etc doesn’t require individual parental notification. You may choose to still notify parents at mass that you are marketing such service, and you can direct them to Somethings ([email protected]) if they have questions.
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At the beginning of each school year, notice of each health care service offered at his or her child’s school and the means for the parent to provide consent for any specific service. (§115C-76.45(a)(1))
What it means: Parents must be notified in writing about health-related services available through the school.
How to comply: Schools should include Somethings in their start-of-year communications (email, handbook, website) so parents are aware. Even though the app itself does not require consent, transparency helps meet the notification requirement. If you launch mid-year, we recommend emailing parents, doing a social media post etc, just to make them aware and providing them with the Somethings email address so we can answer any questions they may have.
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Prior to or contemporaneous with changes, notice of changes in services or monitoring related to his or her child's mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being and the school's ability to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for that child.
What it means: If the school makes any change in services related to mental health, they should notify parents before or at the same time as implementing these changes.
How to comply: If you make a direct referral for a student, you should notify the parent and get their consent before doing so. If you're putting up posters or doing more general marketing, a notification may not be needed as you're not specifically referring a child or noticing any changes in services.
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In accordance with the right of parents provided in Chapter 114A of the General Statutes, the procedures shall include a requirement that school personnel do one or both of the following: (1) Encourage a child to discuss issues related to the child's well-being with his or her parent. (2) Facilitate discussion of the issue with the child's parents
What it means: When a child is adding or changing services, you should encourage them to speak with their parents or help set up a conversation.
How to comply: Our marketing materials help you comply by including phrases such as "Before you connect with a mentor, be sure to chat with your parent or guardian first!" on posters and other materials. These reminders encourage students to talk with their parents. Additionally, when speaking directly with students, you should encourage them to discuss the service with their parents.
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1. Notifying Parents
While students can access Somethings without parent permission, schools must maintain open communication with families. Under §115C-76.45, parents must be informed about health services available through the school, including mental health supports. Best practice is to notify parents about the Somethings app at the start of the year or whenever it's introduced to students. This notification can be sent through email, newsletters, or a dedicated section on the school website.
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Sample communications you can use:
2. Encouraging Parent Involvement
The Parents' Bill of Rights (Session Law 2023-106) clearly prohibits schools from encouraging students to keep mental health information secret from their parents. Staff should do the opposite: encourage students to involve their parents when using the app. When a student shows interest, staff might say, "That's great — have you told your parents about this resource yet?" or "Would you like me to share more information with them so they can support you?" This approach not only ensures legal compliance but also strengthens family relationships and enables parents to be supportive partners in their child's care.
3. Avoid Emphasizing "No Consent Needed"
Although state rules permit minors to access Somethings without parental consent, staff should not highlight this fact in promotional efforts. Marketing the app as a way to bypass parents creates mistrust and contradicts the law's intent to protect parents' rights to notification and involvement. Instead, present the app as a helpful, free support tool that schools and families can use together. Present Somethings like you would the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, a public resource that's always available, but one that students should share with their parents if used. This approach focuses on support rather than secrecy and ensures schools aren't perceived as excluding parents from their child's care.