Obtaining collateral information

“Obtain collateral information from other relevant parties (e.g., child and family services, clergy, legal services)” (NBCC, 2027 task 2A.4)

Collateral information comes from people and records outside the client: family members, previous providers, schools, physicians, clergy, child and family services, legal services and others. It fills gaps in self-report and gives a fuller picture for assessment and planning. The exam tests when collateral is useful and how to obtain it lawfully.

Key points

Collateral sources include family, previous treatment records, primary care providers, schools, probation or court staff, child welfare workers and clergy.
Except where law permits otherwise, obtain a written release of information from the client (or guardian) before contacting collateral sources or sharing anything with them.
A valid release names who may disclose, to whom, what information, for what purpose, an expiration, the right to revoke, and the client's signature.
Substance use disorder treatment records from programs covered by 42 CFR Part 2 have additional federal consent protections.
School records are governed by FERPA, which gives parents (or students aged 18 or older) rights over education records.
Collateral information is especially useful when the client is a child, has cognitive impairment, has limited insight, or when safety is a concern.
Weigh collateral reports critically: informants have their own perspectives, and the client's view still matters.

In practice

With a written release from the parents, a counselor speaks with a 9-year-old's teacher about classroom behavior and asks for specific examples, which help distinguish inattention from anxiety.

A client entering counseling after a hospital stay signs a release so the counselor can get the discharge summary and medication list, which shows a recent change in medication that explains some of the client's fatigue.

Check yourself

What must a counselor usually obtain before contacting a client's previous therapist?

A written release of information signed by the client, because confidentiality applies to sharing and requesting information.

Name four elements of a valid release of information.

Who discloses, who receives, what information is released, and an expiration date, along with purpose, revocation rights and signature.

Which federal regulation adds protections to records from substance use disorder treatment programs?

42 CFR Part 2, which requires specific consent for most disclosures from covered programs.

NBCC's knowledge and skills for 2A. Intake

Knowledge of: Barriers to service; Components of informed consent; Client suitability for telemental health services.

Skill in: Discussing informed consent; Explaining policies and procedures; Conducting a clinical/diagnostic interview.

A study guide written by ExamDragon from NBCC's published task; not NBCC material and not part of the exam.