Court ordered reunification services are not confidential. In order to fulfill my duties as a reunification specialist I must be able to communicate with the court and with attorneys involved in your case. I may also need to communicate with therapists, teachers, physicians, law enforcement officials, and other professionals who may have relevant information about a parent’s or child’s functioning. Parents must agree to sign all releases necessary to obtain information from these professionals. I may need to testify in court concerning the activities and responses of all parties involved in the reunification effort. Anything the child says or does, or any information you bring to the reunification effort, may be disclosed and discussed during the sessions or in required court testimony.
Additional situations in which I may be compelled to disclose information without your consent or authorization to parties not involved in reunification proceedings include but are not limited to:
A government agency requesting information for health oversight activities.
If a client files a complaint or lawsuit against me, I may disclose relevant information regarding that client in order to defend myself. It is expected that a parent will first confer with me in an effort to resolve a grievance.
If a client files a worker’s compensation claim, this constitutes authorization for me to release any information relevant to that claim.
There are situations in which I am legally obligated to take action in an attempt to protect others from harm, and to reveal information about a client’s treatment.
I am required by law to report child abuse, elder abuse, domestic violence, or a clear and substantial risk of imminent, serious harm to a client or another person, and to turn over relevant records to the appropriate agency such as Child Protective Services or Department of Human Services. Once a report is filed, I may be required to provide additional information to cooperate with an investigation. This may include notifying the potential victim, contacting police, seeking hospitalization for the client, or contacting family members or others who can help provide protection.