Client Rights, Confidentiality, and Disclosure
The following outline your rights in counseling. If at any time you should have questions, please ask.
Choosing Treatment
You have a right to freely choose your treatment program with informed
knowledge of your options. We can discuss other treatment options with
you to help you make the best choice for you. Our commitment is to help
you get the best treatment possible.
CompetencyEach clinician is licensed by their respective Board. Please see the clinician background for individual competencies.
Why We Need Accurate Information from YouThis information
I collect is needed for appropriate and accurate treatment in
counseling. We can only help in so far as we have accurate information.
If information is hidden, not revealed or available, our abilities as a
counselor are reduced or limited. We do not share this information with
others without your written permission or unless otherwise mandated by
law (see below).
The Importance of ConfidentialityTrust is a major component
of counseling. In our opinion, trust builds safety and safety can lead
to tremendous therapeutic change. This trust is facilitated by knowing
that any information you share will not be passed onto other people. We
treat confidentiality very seriously and make a commitment not to share
information with others. One example of how we protect confidentiality
is the following scenario. The Twin-City metropolitan area is actually
a small city in many ways. We are amazed at how frequently we run into a
client in a public setting. This may create a situation that is
uncomfortable or difficult for you. Our approach is to follow your lead
in any potential public interaction. This is one way I try to avoid
placing you in a situation that may lead to unintentional disclosure.
Mandated Release of InformationWe are required by state and federal law to release information regarding your treatment in the following cases:
- Any suspected abuse to a child or vulnerable adult
- Significant and real potential harm to yourself
- Significant and real potential harm to another person
- When a court order requires the release of information
- For national security and intelligence activities.
- Activities regarding the safety of the President of the United States.
In these cases, we must report what we know to the appropriate
persons, including the possibility of reports to law enforcement
agencies.
About PrivacyMost of the information we collect about you will
be classified as "private." That means you can see it, others cannot.
Sometimes demographic materials will be grouped together to describe my
typical client. In these cases, you will not be identified in any way.
In a very few cases, information we collect about you is classified
"confidential." Confidential data is not open to anyone (not even you)
except by the government agencies that need it. This includes data
about adoption, civil or criminal investigations, some medical data,
and the names of persons who report child or vulnerable adult abuse.
Access by youYou can see all private records about yourself
(or your childrens' -see section on minors). To see your file, please
talk to us and ask. Usually this is done very quickly, but can take up
to ten days. You may also allow anyone else to see your records. In
these cases, a signed release of information form is necessary (you may
be responsible for the cost of making copies). Also, in these cases, we
will try to contact you for verbal verification.
Concerning MinorsAs a minor, your parents or guardians have
access to any private information in the file. State law gives them the
right to control this information. As a parent, while you have full
rights to the information of a minor, it is often difficult in the
counseling process when you exercise these rights. The Minor may be
hesitant to reveal information when they know you may see such
information. It is sometimes helpful for the guardian and minor to meet together to talk about revealing information in the files.
Your Rights Regarding Information
- You have the right to refuse to give any information. However, without it we may not be able to provide appropriate treatment.
- You have the right to add your own explanation of anything you object to in your records that we have created.
- You have the right to request a list of the disclosures we make regarding your records without your written approval.
Client Bill of Rights
Consumers of psychological services offered by psychologists licensed by the State of Minnesota have the right to:
- Expect that a psychologist has met the minimal qualifications of training and expertise required by state law.
- Expect considerate and respectful treatment.
- Examine public records maintained by the Board of Psychology which contain the credentials of a psychologist
- Be informed of the cost of professional services before receiving the services.
- Privacy as defined by rule and law.
- Be free from being the object of discrimination on the basis of
race, religion, gender, sexual/affectional orientation, or other
unlawful category while receiving psychological services.
- Be free from mental, sexual, or physical abuse while receiving psychological services.
- Obtain a copy of the Rules of Conduct from the State Register and
Public Documents Division of the Deparment of Administration, 117
University Ave, St. Paul, MN 55155
- Report complaints to the Board of Psychology, 2829 University Ave W, #500, Minneapolis, MN 55404; phone (612) 617-2230.
Termination of Treatment
At all times you have the right to end treatment, unless such treatment
has been court ordered. If termination is due to dissatisfaction with
treatment, please talk it over with us to resolve the difficulty.
Grievance Procedures
If you have any questions about, or dissatisfaction with, the services provided to you, we ask you to follow these steps:
- Discuss your concerns with your therapist to see if they can be resolved. If
this does not work, please contact The Commissioner of the Department
of Human Services identified above.
- If you feel I have acted unethically, this should be reported to your therapist's licensing board.
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