What is the Tarasoff duty to warn, and when does it require a social worker to disclose information?

• A. If there is a credible threat of serious harm to an identified person, the clinician must warn the potential victim and/or take protective actions and notify authorities as allowed by law.
• B. Tarasoff requires disclosure only when a court orders it.
• C. The duty to warn applies no matter what, there is no exception.
• D. Confidentiality should always be preserved even with threats.

Answer: (A)

Tarasoff duty to warn is the obligation to protect a potential victim when a client poses a credible risk of serious harm. When the threat is credible and directed at a specific, identifiable person, the clinician should warn that person and/or take protective actions (such as arranging for hospitalization or other safety measures) and, where allowed by law, notify authorities. This duty is triggered by credibility and identifiability, not by a court order, and it overrides confidentiality only in those danger-to-others situations. If the threat isn’t credible or the victim isn’t identifiable, confidentiality generally remains intact.