Family Initiated Treatment (FIT)

FIT was developed, based in part on recommendations made by the Parent Initiated Treatment (PIT) Stakeholder Advisory Group that included youth, parents, clinicians, hospitals/emergency departments, and child systems advocates. PIT for acute inpatient evaluation and treatment is long standing and has evolved into FIT, which provides an avenue for outpatient evaluation and treatment as well as additional guidelines associated with the FIT legislation. The stakeholder group’s findings and recommendations were delivered to the Children’s Mental Health Work Group on December 1, 2018. In 2019, the Legislature enacted Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1874.

Parents may consent on behalf of adolescents who meet medical necessity. Consent of the adolescent is not required. The family initiated treatment (FIT) process creates an additional access point but does not guarantee care on demand for adolescents admitted through FIT. Providers will have individual processes and requirements for evaluation and admission to services.