The law protects the relationship between a client and a psychotherapist, and information cannot be disclosed without written permission from the client or the client's legal guardian.
The exceptions to this include:
Any suspicion of child abuse or elder abuse, for which counselors are required by law to report to the appropriate authorities immediately.
In the event a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person/s, counselors must notify the police and inform the intended victim.
Any intent, plan, or suspicion of harm to self, the counselor will work with the client to create a safety plan and if this is not possible due to the lack of cooperation of the client the counselor by law must contact the appropriate authorities to ensure safety of the client.
Privacy policies regarding young patients:
No information can be released to anyone other than the client without prior written consent from the client/client's guardian.
When scheduling for children under 18 years of age the parent or guardian should call to schedule the appointment.