Section 333.18513 - Confidentiality of communication.

PUBLIC HEALTH CODE (EXCERPT)
Act 368 of 1978

333.18513 Confidentiality of communication.

Sec. 18513.

(1) An individual registered or licensed under this part or an employee or officer of an organization that employs the registrant or licensee is not required to disclose a communication or a portion of a communication made by a client to the individual or advice given in the course of professional employment.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in this section, a communication between a registrant or licensee or an organization with which the registrant or licensee has an agency relationship and a client is a confidential communication. A confidential communication shall not be disclosed, except under either or both of the following circumstances:

(a) The disclosure is part of a required supervisory process within the organization that employs or otherwise has an agency relationship with the registrant or licensee.

(b) The privilege is waived by the client or a person authorized to act in the client's behalf.

(3) If requested by the court for a court action, a registrant or licensee shall submit to an appropriate court a written evaluation of the prospect or prognosis of a particular client without disclosing a privileged fact or a privileged communication. An attorney representing a client who is the subject of an evaluation described in this subsection has the right to receive a copy of the evaluation. If required for the exercise of a public purpose by a legislative committee, a registrant or licensee or agency representative may make available statistical and program information without violating the privilege established under subsection (2).

(4) A registrant or licensee may disclose a communication or a portion of a communication made by a client pursuant to section 946 of the mental health code, 1974 PA 258, MCL 330.1946, in order to comply with the duty set forth in that section.


History: Add. 2000, Act 11, Imd. Eff. Mar. 7, 2000 ;-- Am. 2004, Act 61, Eff. July 1, 2005