40-5-808. Persistence and duration of obligation. (1) A parent's obligation to provide for medical care of a child ceases only when the parental obligation to support a child terminates under law.
     (2) The obligations to provide medical care for a child, provide financial child support, and provide or comply with visitation and custody arrangements are independent of each other, and the failure or inability to provide one or more does not reduce one of the others.
     (3) A guardian or caretaker who is not the child's father or mother may not be compelled to support the child or be held liable for the child's expenses, except to the extent that the guardian or caretaker has voluntarily agreed in writing to assume the responsibility.

     History: En. Sec. 8, Ch. 504, L. 1995.