Limits of Confidentiality & Mandatory Reporting

A Life in Balance DBT Skills Training Group

Your facilitator is legally and ethically bound to protect the privacy of what you share. There are, however, specific situations in which the law requires or permits disclosure without your authorization. This document explains those limits so you understand them before the group begins.

1. Our general duty of confidentiality

Information you share is protected in accordance with professional ethical standards and applicable law in the states where the provider is licensed (California and Florida). We will not disclose your protected health information except as described in this document, in our HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, or with your written authorization.

2. When confidentiality may or must be broken

The facilitator may be required, or permitted, to disclose information without your authorization in the following situations:

• Risk of serious harm to yourself. If you are at serious risk of harming yourself, the facilitator may take reasonable steps to protect your safety, which can include contacting emergency services, your individual therapist, or a designated emergency contact.

• Risk of serious harm to others. If you communicate a serious threat of physical harm against an identifiable person, the facilitator may be required to take protective action, which can include warning the potential victim and notifying law enforcement.

• Suspected abuse or neglect. Facilitators are mandated reporters. Suspected abuse or neglect of a child, an elder, or a dependent adult must be reported to the appropriate authorities.

• Legal proceedings. The facilitator may be required to disclose information in response to a court order, subpoena, or other legal requirement.

3. Mandated reporter status

Licensed clinicians in California and Florida are mandated reporters. This means that, in the situations described above, the facilitator is legally obligated to make a report and is not able to keep that information confidential, even at your request.

4. Confidentiality in a group setting

Because this is a group, confidentiality also depends on other members. Other participants are not licensed clinicians and are not legally bound by HIPAA. While every member signs a Group Confidentiality Agreement, the facilitator cannot guarantee that other members will honor it, and a breach by another member remains a possible risk of group participation.

5. Disclosure is limited to what is necessary

When disclosure is required, the facilitator will share only the minimum information necessary to meet the legal obligation or to protect safety, and will, when appropriate and safe to do so, let you know what is being disclosed.

6. Acknowledgment

By signing below, I confirm that I have read and understand the limits of confidentiality and the facilitator’s mandatory-reporting obligations described above, and that I have had the opportunity to ask questions.