Abstract
In the United States, much emphasis is placed on the concepts of privacy and confidentiality, particularly in the health care setting. In this computer age, when information is stored in data banks which are readily available to many agencies, including potential employers, credit bureaus, and insurance companies, health professionals must have heightened awareness of the individual’s right to confidentiality and what must be done to protect it. The stigma that still attaches to being labeled “mentally or emotionally ill” or “mentally retarded” has required an increased awareness on the part of mental health professionals to the confidentiality rights of their patient. The professional must be knowledgeable about the specific law related to confidentiality of information disclosed in the therapeutic setting and must understand under what circumstances confidentiality can or must be breached. This chapter will fully discuss these issues as well as the client’s access to his record.
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Bibliography
I. Confidentiality and Privilege A. Cases: General
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I. Confidentiality and Privilege B. Cases: Liability for Breach of Confidentiality
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I. Confidentiality and Privilege C Articles and Books
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II. Rape Victim Counseling A. Cases
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People v. Denver, 719 P.2d 722 (Sup.Ct. Colo. 1986).
People v. Reber, 223 Cal.Rptr. 139 (Cal.App. 1986).
State v. Pierson, 514 A.2d 724 (Sup.Ct. Conn. 1986).
Commonwealth v. Lloyd, 567 A.2d 1357 (Sup.Ct. Pa. 1989).
State v. Donnelly, 798 P.2d 89 (Mont.Sup.Ct. 1990).
Commonwealth v. Stockhammer, 570 N.E.2d 992 (Mass.SupJud.Ct. 1991).
II. Rape Victim Counseling B. Articles
Appelbaum, P. S., & Roth, L. H. (1981). In the Matter of Paar: Rape counseling and problems of confidentiality. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 32, 461–462.
Laurence, M. (1984). Rape victim-crisis counselor communications: An argument for an absolute privilege. University of California Davis Law Review, 17, 1213–1245.
McCafferty, B. M. (1990–1991). The existing confidentiality privileges as applied to rape victims. Journal of Law and Health, 5, 101–142.
Scarmeas, C. J. (1982). Rape victim-rape crisis counselor communications: A new testimonial privilege. Dickinson Law Review, 86, 539–564.
III. Governmental Investigations of Practitioners A. Cases
Hawaii Psychiatric Society v. Ariyoshi, 481 F.Supp. 1028 (D. Hawaii 1979); No. CV79–0113 (D. Hawaii December 27, 1982).
Reynaud v. Superior Court, Santa Clara County, 187 Cal.Rptr. 660 (Cal.App. 1982).
In re Subpoena Served upon Zuniga, 714 F.2d 632 (6th Cir. 1983).
Commonwealth v. Kobrin, 479 N.E.2d 674 (Sup.Jud.Ct. Mass. 1985).
Wood v. Superior Court, 212 Cal.Rptr. 811 (Cal.App. 1985).
Grand Jury v. Kuriansky, 505 N.E.2d 925 (Ct.App. N.Y. 1987).
In the Matter of A-85–04–38, 525 N.Y.S.2d 479 (Sup.Ct. 1988).
Lieb v. Department of Health Services, 542 A.2d 741 (Conn. App. 1988).
Scull v. Superior Court, Santa Barbara County, 254 Cal.Rptr. 24 (Cal.App. 1988).
U.S. v. Wettstein, 733 F.Supp. 1212 (111. 1990).
III. Governmental Investigations of Practitioners B. Articles
Khajezadeh, D. (1987). Patient confidentiality statutes in Medicare and Medicaid fraud investigations. American Journal of Law and Medicine, 12, 105–137.
Note: Behind closed doors: The confidentiality of psychotherapeutic records in Medicaid fraud investigations. (1986). Pace Law Review, 6, 441–494.
Shwed, H. J., Kuvin, S. F., & Baliga, R. K. (1979). Medicaid audit: Crisis in confidentiality and the patient-psychiatrist relationship. American Journal of Psychiatry, 136, 447–450.
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IV. AIDS and Confidentiality A. Cases
Doe v. Borough of Barrington, 729 F.Supp. 376 (N.J. 1990).
Behringer Estate v. Princeton Medical Center, 592 A.2d 1251 (N.J.Super. 1991).
In re Application of Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, 595 A.2d 1290 (Pa.Super. 1991).
Hillman v. Columbia County, 474 N.W.2d 913 (Wis.App. 1991).
McBarnette v. Feldman, 582 N.Y.S.2d 900 (Sup. 1992).
IV. AIDS and Confidentiality B. Articles and Books
American Bar Association. (1989). AIDS and persons with developmental disabilities: The legal perspective. Washington, DC: American Bar Association.
American Psychiatric Association. (1988). AIDS policy: Confidentiality and disclosure. American Journal of Psychiatry, 145, 541.
Annas, G. J. (1988). Not saints but healers: The legal duties of health care professionals in the AIDS epidemic. American Journal of Public Health, 78, 844–849.
Carlson, G. A., Greeman, M., & McClellan, T. A. (1989). Management of HIV-positive psychiatric patients who fail to reduce high-risk behaviors. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 40, 511–514.
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Gostin, L., & Curran, W. J. (1987). AIDS screening, confidentiality, and the duty to warn. American Journal of Public Health, 77, 361–365.
Knapp, S., & VandeCreek, L. (1990). Application of the duty to protect to HIV-positive patients. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 21, 161–166.
Lamb, D. H., Clark, C, Drumheller, P., Frizzell, K., & Surrey, L. (1989). Applying Tarasoff to AIDS-related psychotherapy issues. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 20, 37–43.
Landis, S. E., Schoenbach, V. J., Weber, D. J., Mittal, M., Krishan, B., Lewis, K., & Koch, G. G. (1992). Results of a randomized trial of partner notification in cases of HIV infection in North Carolina. New England Journal of Medicine, 326, 101–106.
McDonald, B. A. (1989). Ethical problems for physicians raised by AIDS and HIV infection: Conflicting legal obligations of confidentiality and disclosure. University of California, Davis Law Review, 22, 557–592.
Melton, G. B. (1988). Ethical and legal issues in AIDS-related practice. American Psychologist, 43, 941–947.
Perry, S. (1989). Warning third parties at risk of AIDS: APA’s policy is a barrier to treatment. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 40, 158–161.
Perry, S., Ryan, J., Fogel, F., Fishman, B., & Jacobsberg, L. (1990). Voluntarily informing others of positive HIV test results: Patterns of notification by infected gay men. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 41, 549–551.
Potterat, J. J., Spencer, N. E., Woodhouse, D. E., & Muth, J. B. (1989). Partner notification in the control of human immunodeficiency virus infection. American Journal of Public Health, 79, 874–876.
Price, D. P. T. (1990). Between Scylla and Charybdis: Charting a course to reconcile the duty of confidentiality and the duty to warn in the AIDS context. Dickinson Law Review, 94, 435–487.
Rennert, S. (1991). AIDS I HIV and confidentiality: Model policy and procedures. Washington, DC: American Bar Association.
Ryan, C. C, & Rowe, M. J. (1988). AIDS: Legal and ethical issues. Social Casework, 69, 324–333.
Schwartzbaum, J. A., Wheat, J. R., & Norton, R. W (1990). Physician breach of patient confidentiality among individuals with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection: Patterns of decision. American Journal of Public Health, 80, 829–834.
Totten, G., Lamb, D. H., & Reeder, G.D. (1990). Tarasoff and confidentiality in AIDS-related psychotherapy. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 21, 155–160.
Turkington, R. C. (1989). Confidentiality policy for HIV-related information: An analytical framework for sorting out hard and easy cases. Villanova Law Review, 34, 871–908.
Zonana, H. (1989). Warning third parties at risk of AIDS: APA’s policy is a reasonable approach. Hospital and Community Psychiatry, 40, 162–164.
III. Child Abuse Reporting
See “Child Abuse and Sexual Abuse” in Bibliography of Chapter 10, pp. 343–345.
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Weiner, B.A., Wettstein, R.M. (1993). Confidentiality. In: Legal Issues in Mental Health Care. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-1654-9_7
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