Professional Disclosure Practices of Rehabilitation Counselors

Abstract

This article reports the results of a survey conducted in order to determine the professional disclosure practices of rehabilitation counselors in both the public and the private sector. Counselors were surveyed regarding the content, the circumstances, the timing, and the format of their disclosure. They were also asked to share their opinions about the use of written forms and about professional disclosure in general. A descriptive analysis revealed that although some information is routinely disclosed, many kinds of information (e.g., treatment risks, limits of confidentiality) that are generally considered very important in the disclosure process are not disclosed to all clients and/or are not disclosed at the outset of the counseling relationship. Several differences in practice between counselors in the public and private sectors were identified. Implications for ethical practice and risk management related to professional disclosure were discussed.