Assignment: Case Analysis: Values and Ethics

There are times when human services providers are obligated to release confidential information about clients in spite of having concerns about how the information will be used. However, they are also responsible for protecting the clients' privacy at such times.
The case that you will analyze in this assignment illustrates the conflict faced by human services professionals when responding to requests for their clients' confidential information.

The Case:

Assume that you are working with a client who was referred to you by his probation officer. You receive a request by the probation officer for all of your client's records since the beginning of his treatment. You have consent from your client to release the records.
However, the records contain information that you think would cause the probation officer to misappropriate her authority with your client because the officer has informally shared with you her disdain for people who have engaged in the type of activity that your client admitted to in one of your sessions.

While you have the obligation to release your client's records, your values about the potential abuse of authority by the probation officer cause significant internal conflict about releasing the records.

Tasks:

Consider the case and respond to the following in about 300 words:

Discuss how you would negotiate the conflict between your values and your ethical obligation to release your client's records.

In your answer, you should address the following:

The extent of information being requested

The client's understanding of the purpose of releasing the confidential information

Your duty to protect your client's right to privacy

The potential result if you refuse to release the records.