As an Art Therapist for children and adolescents it is difficult to balance the privacy between myself and the client and respecting the parents right for information. A primary goal during treatment will be promoting stronger and better relationship between child and parent, but to build a trusting relationship with my client I need to respect their privacy. It is my policy to provide parents with general information about treatment status. Sharing of specific information to parents will be at the discretion of the child or adolescent. I will not share personal information about you or your child, or his/her life story or what happens in any of our therapy sessions to anyone outside the following three exceptions:
1) If the client requests the release their personal information to an outside party. In this event a Form 14 from the Mental Health Act is required.
2) By Federal Law a therapist is required to: *Report to authorities when they suspect a child is being abused *To comply with a court ordered subpoena.
3) Common Law dictates that it is the responsibility of the therapist to report to authorities when they are privy to plans that a client has to physically harm him/herself or another.