If a provider finds that a teen has a severe substance related problem do they need to alert the parents, and if so, doesn this breach the teens rights to confidentiality?
We recommend telling teens that the information they give us will be kept confidential, unless we find there is a danger to their life or health, or to someone else. In that case, we will have to let others know. When a teen is found to have a serious problem, such as alcohol or drug dependence, and needs treatment, parents must be informed. We always tell the teen first that their parents must be brought in, and discuss with the teen exactly how this will be done. There is almost never a need to provide parents with detailed information about use, which is what teens fear most often. Rather, we tell parents that we have identified a serious problem, and that we all need to work together to find the best treatment.
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