Concerns for privacy and confidentiality are taken very seriously. We live in a small, closely knit, tri-county community where everyone seems to know everyone else. Information exchanged in therapy is held with the utmost privacy in mind. This is for both ethical as well as legal reasons. Any information shared outside the office must be done so with written consent from the client and is generally done so for the purpose of facilitating therapy. For example, teachers and physicians may wish to share information about clients to work together in their behalf. A written consent form may be signed giving permission for an exchange of information to occur.
An often asked question surrounds the differing rights as they pertain to children and adolescents confidentiality. Sometimes children express their feelings in therapy quite candidly and then later one parent or both ask to share that information in court proceedings. While patients typically do have the rights to their children's medical records, in this case, psychological records, children do not understand the use, and often misuse, of their information in this manner. The North Carolina Psychological Board recommends a psychologist interprets a record to the parent or offer a summary in lieu of sending a record that might be used in a harmful way for a child thus protecting the child's confidentiality.
In terms of adolescents, Ms. Brown negotiates with each family to determine what information can be held private and what information must be exchanged or shared with parents. Children under 18 are still legal minors and subject to the laws governing minors, including medical records. Ms. Brown has found most parents to be very willing to negotiate what issues they feel comfoartable not knowing about and what issues they feel they must be informed of. No self-injurious thoughts or actions will be kept private. The reasons for this are typically discussed upon the first session with adolescents.
Privacy and Confidentiality
N.C. Licensed Professional Counselor
