What is Confidentiality?
Confidentiality is when the stuff you share stays private.
Valley Crisis Center’s goal is safety. We know that sharing your story can be unsafe. We know that not everyone needs to know, even family. We get that your business is no one else’s business.
If you need us to share your info with anyone else we need your permission first. Without your say-so, your info stays private.
Confidentiality is for everyone who comes to Valley Crisis Center, even if we can’t help you.
Confidentiality Questions:
If you need Valley Crisis Center to share your info with someone else, let us know. We’ll help you do a Release of Information. With a Release, you have full control over what we tell someone else and for how long.
If your child is 12 and up, they have the same right to confidentiality as an adult.
We know that as a parent, this is hard, but it is very important to give your child space to talk and tell us what they want to do.
If an outside agency calls and asks us about you, if we don’t have your okay to talk to them, we tell them that we can’t confirm if you are a client or not and to reach out to you to do a release if you are.
If you are just wanting information on services before making a decision, you do not have to provide us with any information.
If you don’t want someone you previously allowed to have your information to have access anymore, let us know and we’ll cancel that release.
Valley Crisis Center works hard to prevent confidentiality from being broke, but we do have advocates who are mandated reporters and are required by law to report three things:
- Elder Abuse, Child Abuse, or Dependent Adult Abuse
- Thoughts of suicide or a suicide plan
- Thoughts of homicide or a homicide plan
If an advocate is a mandated reporter, they are required to tell you beforehand. You have a right to refuse to talk to them and speak to another advocate.
California Evidence Codes Protecting Confidentiality
Do you believe your confidential information was shared without your permission?
If you believe your confidential information was shared without your permission, you have the right to file a complaint.