Confidentiality

 

The information clients share with me is confidential. I will not share it, even when allowed by HIPAA, except as described in the exceptions to confidentiality below.

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Exceptions to confidentiality:

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• I share client information in ongoing consultation with my Supervisor, Ryan Keough, MS, LMFT-AS.

• For clients in New Jersey, I consult with an additional Supervisor, Wanda Sevey, MDiv, LMFT, who is licensed in New Jersey.

• I may occasionally also share information:

  • ​with a client’s explicit written permission, as we both agree (for example, to coordinate with a prescribing psychiatrist or to bill a credit card).

  • without using a client’s name or identifying information, in consultation with people who have particular expertise relevant to my work with a client/s.

  • In extraordinary cases, in an emergency when I’m unable to seek a client’s permission, if, in my best judgment, it’s what the client would have wanted, and only to the extent necessary.
     

​I’m additionally required by law to break confidentiality if:
 

• there is credible, current risk that a client will die by suicide and we have not been able to agree on a plan to support the client's safety.

• a client expresses credible intent to physically harm someone else.

• a client shares information about the abuse (including neglect) of children, elders, or other vulnerable adults.

• a court of law orders me to comply with a legal order to release information about a client's case.
   

If any of the above four cases were to arise, I would do my best to center the client’s choice and agency. I review these 4 scenarios with clients in our first session and try to answer any questions about them or anything else related to confidentiality.

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If I substantively change any of the above privacy practices, I will post current information on my website. I will also let current clients know. Written notice of my current privacy practices is also always available on request.