Confidentiality
Confidentiality refers to an ethical principle associated with several professions (e.g., medicine, law, religion, professional psychology, and journalism). In ethics, some types of communication between a person and one of these professionals are “privileged” and may not be discussed or divulged to third parties. In those jurisdictions in which the law makes provision for such confidentiality, there are usually penalties for its violation.
The ethical principle of confidentiality requires that information shared by the client with the therapist in the course of treatment is not shared with others. This is important for the therapeutic alliance, as it promotes an environment of trust. However, there are important exceptions to confidentiality, namely where it conflicts with the clinician’s duty to warn or duty to protect. This includes instances of suicidal or homicidal ideation, child abuse, elder abuse and dependent adult abuse.
If any psychologist of Psychological Assessment, Inc. believes or suspects that a child, an elderly person, a disabled person or anyone else is being abused due to neglect, assault, battery or sexual molestation, we are bound by law to file a report with the appropriate agency. We do not have any authority to investigate the situation after it is reported, and our report may trigger an investigation by an agency.
California law requires the reporting to appropriate agencies in cases where there is a reasonable suspicion or evidence of child abuse, elder abuse, stated intention to injure another party or imminent danger of harming oneself, or inability to function or care for oneself. If a Psychological Assessment, Inc. psychologist discovers that a threat exists to specific person, organization or that the risk for violence in general is high, we have a duty to warn others, and may do so even if the client discontinues the evaluation and does not share the psychologist’s findings.
Forms
In order to save you time, please download and fill out the following forms to the best of your ability before your initial visit with a psychologist from Psychological Assessment, Inc. You will need an Authorization for Release of Information for each person you expect to interact with your evaluator. If you have any questions about how to fill these forms out, leave them empty and your evaluator will answer them on your initial visit.
