ALBUQUERQUE — Staff at Albuquerque High School and an on-campus health clinic described a system in which students may access counseling and certain health services with confidentiality protections that limit parental notification, according to an undercover video obtained by the New Mexico Sentinel.
The footage is part of an ongoing Sentinel investigative series examining how minors in New Mexico access sensitive medical and behavioral health services.
In the recording, school staff walk a prospective student through available resources, emphasizing both a supportive campus environment and access to services provided through a University of New Mexico-affiliated school-based health center.
“We have a very supportive staff,” a school official said in the video, pointing to student organizations and teachers who identify themselves as safe contacts for students navigating personal issues.
Staff described counseling services available during the school day through the on-campus clinic, where students can schedule appointments and meet with providers confidentially.
“Unless she requests for her records to be sent to anybody, nobody will know what’s going on with her,” the staff member said. “Even you — you do not have access even as her guardian.”
A clinic assistant in the same conversation said minors beginning at age 14 can consent to certain types of care on their own, including behavioral and reproductive health services.
“As of 14 years old, patients are able to consent for themselves regarding behavioral health or reproductive health services,” the assistant said, adding that visits remain private and “no bills are sent home.”
The recording indicates that students can access counseling sessions during school hours, with appointments focused on issues the student chooses to discuss. Staff said those services are confidential unless the student authorizes disclosure.
School staff also described accommodations for students who are transgender or questioning their gender identity, including access to restrooms aligned with student comfort and the availability of single-use facilities.
Students who are “in transition or possibly thinking of transition” may use private restrooms or other facilities where they feel comfortable, according to the recording.APS Staff Describe Confidential Support for Students Exploring Gender Identity
While staff referenced access to a broader network of care through UNM-affiliated providers, the Albuquerque High portion of the video focuses primarily on counseling, school-based support and confidentiality protections. It does not detail specific medical treatments.
New Mexico law allows minors to consent to certain forms of care, including behavioral health and reproductive services, without parental notification. State law also requires parental notification in some cases when medications are prescribed, depending on the type of treatment.
The Sentinel has not independently verified how Albuquerque Public Schools or UNM Health System apply those policies in practice beyond what is described in the recording.
This report follows earlier Sentinel investigations examining abortion access for minors and cross-state care coordination involving underage patients.
