Re: National Petition To Strengthen Patient Confidentiality Protections

Dear Colleague: 

Please join us in protecting psychotherapy clients against all attempts to reduce traditional guarantees of client confidentiality. 

Client privacy is a fundamental principle in building trust, and a foundation for all our clinical work. Recent changes in federal privacy rules challenge this fundamental principle. Corporate-medicine’s clinical practice guidelines, which require that records be kept for third party review, undermine privacy. In order to prevent further deterioration of patient rights, we offer the Licensed Psychotherapists Petition on Confidentiality – it supports maintaining strong patient confidentiality guarantees. In Colorado, a similar petition was effective in blocking erosion of patient rights. In 2000, The Colorado Board of Psychological Examiners proposed that all licensed psychologists be required to give every client a diagnosis, and keep records for every client in a manner reviewable by third parties. In response, an ad hoc committee of psychologists in Colorado developed a petition to object to such requirements. On short notice, 27% of all Licensed Colorado Psychologists supported the petition and blocked the proposed regulations. We don’t want to wait until the last minute – start now to prevent further erosion in patients’ rights. Please, take action: Sign the Licensed Psychotherapists’ Petition On Confidentiality. 

Thank you for upholding the privacy standards of your profession!