Client Confidentiality

Therapy House employees have a responsibility to maintain the privacy of personal health information and related financial information. The privacy of this information is every client’s right. There are no degrees of privacy. All client information, including the information of employees who may be clients, must be considered private and confidential, even that which is seen or heard. Therefore, such information is not to be disclosed to family, friends, employees or others without the client’s approval.

Sometimes details about a client’s medical history or other contextual information, such as details of an appointment, can identify them - even if no name is attached to that information. This is still considered health information and it must be protected.

Client information may not be disclosed either verbally, in writing, in electronic form, or by copying either at the practice or outside it, during or outside work hours, except for strictly approved use within the client care context, or as legally directed.

Receiving an email (about a client) from anyone BUT the client or client's parent:

• When we receive any email or phone call (about a client) from anyone but the client, respond with

"Dear _______,

We acknowledge the receipt of this email. Please note that given client confidentiality, we cannot communicate with anyone unless a written consent is provided by our clients. We also cannot provide information on whether we have this individual in our system or not. If you believe this person has been our client, please ask them to contact us directly. "

• We cannot reply in a way that confirms whether we have this client or not.

If a previous client requests their records:

• Upon receiving the request, forward the communication to the clinician who previously saw the client

If you have a prior relationship to a client: