Confidentiality

The code of ethics for psychologists, mental health counselors, and state laws protect your confidentiality. This means that if you are over the age of 17, no record of your attendance or participation in counseling is released without your written permission. For those under the age of 17, this information can be released with written permission from your parent or legal guardian. In a very small number of cases, however, counselors are legally required to disregard confidentiality. Those cases in which confidentiality is disregarded are:

1. There is information that suggests that there is a probability of imminent physical injury by the client to himself/herself or others.
   
2. The counselor is required by law to report knowledge of abuse or neglect of an incompetent (this includes children under 18), elderly, or disabled person.
   
3. In cases of criminal prosecution in which the client is a victim or defendant, the Court may order that records of assessment be made available.