In light of recent court cases, when is there a duty to report?

• A. The client threatens harm to an identified person.
• B. There is a chance that the client might harm him- or herself.
• C. Child abuse or neglect is imminent.
• D. All of the above.

Answer: (D)

The key idea is that counselors have a duty to take protective action when safety is at risk, and court decisions have clarified how this applies in different scenarios. If a client threatens harm to a clearly identifiable person, the professional must take steps to warn or protect that person—the well-known Tarasoff principle. If there is imminent child abuse or neglect, mandated reporting laws require informing the appropriate authorities to safeguard the child. If there is imminent risk of self-harm, professionals must intervene to protect the client, which may involve hospitalization or coordinating with family or authorities depending on the laws in your area. Because these protective actions can be triggered by each of these situations, all of the above describes circumstances that can require reporting or protective intervention.