Question

Confidentiality: A Case Scenario

Professional counselors must follow legal and ethical guidelines to protect their clients’ or student clients’ privacy and confidentiality. However, they also need to protect their clients or student clients from self-harm and harm by others, and they need to protect other people from potentially dangerous clients or student clients. At times, these duties may limit a client’s or student’s right to confidentiality. State laws contain specific statutes or regulations that mandate when a counselor must break confidentiality to protect clients or students from harm. Schools and agencies also have specific guidelines and policies that must be followed in such cases.

For this discussion, create a brief scenario for a client or student client who is under the age of 18, reflective of the work you will do as a professional counselor (CMHC/SC), and who expresses one of the following:

• Thoughts of harm to self.
• Thoughts of harm to another.
• Disclosure of abuse.

Address all the following in your case scenario:

• Include the client’s age and the setting in which you are working.
• Clearly explain the client’s presenting issue.
• Describe the specific steps you will take to assess the potential risk to or from your client.
• Discuss the guidelines you will follow to report if a minor has experienced abuse or is in jeopardy of being harmed. Locate the specific laws in your state that address mandated reporting procedures and cite the sections of these laws that would guide your actions. Discuss the guidelines you will follow to report if a minor is a threat to themselves or others. Consider if you have a duty to warn. Explore legal guidance the counselor will need to follow to ensure their license remains in good standing.
  • School counselors should consider using a school district’s policy to help guide you with ensuring proper school procedure is implemented.
• Explain how you will address informed consent and any exceptions to confidentiality with your client so that damage to the counseling relationship is minimized.