Q. Hello, My therapist is threatening to out me to my parents . Do I have any confidentiality under HIPPA or anything else because I’m a minor? Is there anyone I can go to for help to make my therapist respect my privacy from my parents?

A. Unnecessarily “outting” patients goes against the best practice principles of most mental health professions, including clinical social workers.

If your therapist feels that there is a safety concern, however, they may be obligated to share this information to prevent harm, if they are a state mandated reported.

Guardians of minors are technically entitled to treatment information relevant to the course of treatment or progress their child is making in therapy, but some sensitive details may or may not be helpful to share.

Please contact Corner Health Center and leave a message at 734-484-3600 ex. 280 if you have additional questions.