Both chemical dependency (alcohol and other drug) clients and chemical dependency counselors expect that information shared during the counseling relationship will be kept confidential (Piazza & Yeager, 1990). This expectation is so vital to the practice of substance abuse counseling that it has been codified in legal and professional ethical standards, and unauthorized disclosure of client information has resulted in lawsuits.
To protect the interest of the client, the chemical dependency counselor, and the profession, it is incumbent on counselors to understand the ethical and legal guidelines and their exceptions. Furthermore, it is essential that the counselors know which disclosures require the prior authorization or consent of the client and those which do not. This article reviews of federal regulations, ethical guidelines, and the legal and ethical exceptions of confidentiality for chemical dependency counselors.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Confidentiality means that information obtained from a private interaction with a client is not shared with others (Ahia & Martin, 1993). Professional ethical standards mandate confidentiality except when there are special, compelling circumstances or a legal mandate (Arthur & Swanson, 1993). The legal standards and legal exceptions of confidentiality in the chemical dependency field are explained in this section.