Current Articles:

California Psychological Association Governmental Affairs Council Report
by Gilbert Newman, Ph.D., ACPA Representative

Reports on the CPA Advocacy Day, Board of Psychology activities, current legislation, the Psychology Shield legal fund, and other news.

Confidentiality, Informed Consent and the USA Patriot Act
by Michael B. Donner, Ph.D.
Ethics Chair, Alameda County Psychological Association
April, 2004

I have recently been made aware that Section 215 of the USA Patriot Act permits the FBI to gain a subpoena requiring disclosure of patient records. Refusal to turn over the records is contempt of the federal court, and it is contempt of court to tell the patient his/her records have been subpoenaed. This is already the law. Please read the attached article for a discussion of the ethical dilemmas posed by this section of the Patriot Act.

Recent Publications

Healing the Mind or Breaking the Spirit: The Role of Psychology During Interrogations
by Michael B. Donner, Ph.D.
The California Psychologist, 2006
Reprinted with the kind permission of the California Psychologist, the magazine of the California Psychological Association. (607 Kb PDF)

Ewing, Confidentiality and the Decision to Warn
by Michael B. Donner, Ph.D. and Bram Fridhandler, Ph.D.
The California Psychologist, March/April 2005
Reprinted with the kind permission of the California Psychologist, the magazine of the California Psychological Association. (50 Kb PDF)

Licensing Board Complaints: Protecting Psychologists and the Public
by Michael B. Donner, Ph.D.
CPA Briefings No. 163, October 2004
Reprinted with the kind permission of Briefings, the newsletter of Division of Practice of the California Psychological Association. (89 Kb PDF)

Privacy, Privilege and Confidentiality in Psychotherapy
by Michael B. Donner, Ph.D.
CPA Briefings, September 2000, Vol. 151
Reprinted with the kind permission of Briefings, the newsletter of Division of Practice of the California Psychological Association. (413 Kb PDF)

Ethics Articles

Please bear in mind that the information in these documents cannot replace the advice of an attorney or consultation with a psychologist experienced in such matters. Although the information in these documents was accurate at the time of publication, psychologists using this information should bear in mind that laws and regulations change over time and that the interpretation of laws and regulations by courts and the Board of Psychology may change.

HIPAA
Forms and Information

Confidentiality, Informed Consent and the USA Patriot Act
recent article by Michael B. Donner

Donner, M, and the Division 1 Expertise Task Force (2004). Mandated Reporting of Suspected Child Abuse. California Psychological Association, Practice Division Expertise Series. This article has been made available for downloading with the kind permission of Division 1 of the California Psychological Association.

APA Publications

Guidelines on Multicultural Education, Training, Research, Practice, and Organizational Change for Psychologists
American Psychological Association, August, 2002

This document was approved as policy of the American Psychological Association (APA) by the APA Council of Representatives in August, 2002. It was drafted by a joint Task Force of APA Divisions 17 (Counseling Psychology) and 45 (The Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues).