Informed
Consent
Informed consent refers to the process by which a client voluntarily gives his or her consent to the release of confidential information for a specific purpose and to specific people. With informed consent, service providers are able to share information among themselves and determine the best strategies for meeting the client's needs. "The central principle permitting interagency information sharing and collaboration is that of informed consent," note Manley-Casimir and Hall (1994, p. 72).
Generally, consent is given through a written release form. If the client is a minor or is legally incompetent, a parent or guardian may sign the release. Greenberg and Levy (1992) add that "informed consent for the release of information is part of empowering the individual as an active participant in resolving personal and family issues" (p. 2).
A client legally can refuse to authorize the release of confidential information, however. In this situation, it is important that service providers explain to the client either verbally or on the release form the consequences of not authorizing release (Greenberg & Levy, 1992). The release form might state, for instance, "If you do not consent, you will still be eligible for program services. However, your X worker and your Y worker will not be able to talk to each other about how they can work together to help you" (Greenbery & Levy, 1992, p. 16).
