Confidentiality
Everything you tell your Registered Psychologist is strictly private and confidential. I will not disclose confidential communications. Even disclosing that a given person may be in treatment with me is not disclosed without your prior written permission.
If you decide you would like me to share any information, you will sign a Consent form to indicate that your wish health information to be released to another person or agency. You continue to have the right to revoke your permission at a later date. However information that had already been sent out on the basis of your prior direction cannot be retracted.
In the Province of Ontario there are five legal exceptions to your right to confidentiality. These apply to all patients and you need to know what these are. They include:
- If I believe that a patient I am working with is in imminent danger of seriously harming themselves I am expected to protect human life and can break confidentiality if I feel that is necessary. That could include calling a family member, the police, and/or another health care professional. When possible, I will discuss these obligations with you directly and work with you to manage the crisis without such actions.
- If I believe that you intend to harm any other person I am similarly expected to protect human life. I can also contact the police and ask them to protect any intended victim.
- If I or my file is subpoenaed by a court of law I am required by law to release that record. Please let me know if you have been involved in any kind of legal matter or court proceedings in the past, currently, or anticipate such an outcome.
- I am obligated by law to report any regulated health care professional, such as your physician, dentist, chiropractor, etc., to their professional regulatory body if that professional has communicated sexually inappropriate words or actions to you while you were their patient.
- Whenever a child is placed at risk of sexual or physical abuse I am expected to protect a minor who may not be as able to protect themselves, and will report it to the Children’s Aid Society and/or the police.
