Task: James Hooper question a patient discloses to a therapist that he has murdered a young woman and tells where her body is hidden.

Is the therapist obligated to report this to police? What if the patient indicates that she intends to harm or kill an unidentified person? A specific person?

Does the therapist have a duty to notify the specific person, as well as the police? Does it make a difference whether the therapist is a social worker, a psychologist or a medical doctor? What if the patient only discloses that he intends to burn down an abandoned building?

A patient discloses that he is abusing an elderly parent. Should the therapist be required to report this to protective services?

What if the abuse involves a child? What if the child is the patient and discloses the abuse?

Does it make a difference that any of these disclosures were made to a therapist by an employee as part of an employee assistance program?

Does it make a difference that they were disclosed in group therapy?

Does it make a difference if they were disclosed in the course of a criminal proceeding to a therapist appointed by the court to examine the defendant? In any of these scenarios, what is the harm of disclosure to the patient/therapist relationship? To the victim of abuse?

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

Confidentiality of health information among therapists Many people often voluntarily seek for therapeutic services when they face challenging situations in their life These people may develop mental h... View the full answer