If divorced parents have joint legal custody can one parent give permission for their adolescent to go mental health counseling without the other permission?

It depends on the specific terms of the joint legal custody agreement. In general, if divorced parents have joint legal custody, both parents must consent to major decisions regarding their child's upbringing, including decisions about mental health counseling. However, some custody agreements may give one parent the authority to make certain decisions without the other parent's consent.

For example, the custody agreement may stipulate that one parent has the authority to make decisions about the child's health care. In such a case, that parent would be able to consent to mental health counseling for the child without the other parent's permission.

If the custody agreement does not specifically address the issue of mental health counseling, then both parents would need to agree in order for the child to receive counseling. If the parents cannot reach an agreement, then a court may need to decide the matter.