Healthinmind/Getting Services

Confidentiality

No matter what type of mental health professional you choose or are referred to, there will be confidentiality rules that govern your relationship with that clinician. These rules are governed by the ethics codes of the professional organization that licenses the  professional and allows her or him to practice.

Even though there is some variability by type of professional, they all agree on the following:

	Whatever information you provide them is to be kept confidential to the extent
	allowed by law.
	The only times a clinician is mandated by law to break the promise of confidentiality
	are : 1) if they hear through you that a child or elderly person is in danger of being harmed, 2) if you threaten to harm yourself, or 3) if you threaten to harm someone
	else.

It is not uncommon for therapists to discuss issues of confidentiality during the initial psychiatric evaluation.  For more information on codes of ethics for the various professions, please visit the sites for:

Social Workers

Psychologists

Psychiatric Nurses

Psychiatrists

Marriage and Family Therapists

Counselors

                                                                                                                                Last updated  12/19/03