Which statement best describes informed consent in confidentiality communications?

• A. It should be obtained before sharing information and can be verbal or written
• B. It is optional
• C. It must be in writing for all communications
• D. It should be obtained only if the client requests

Answer: (B)

Obtaining consent before sharing confidential information is essential, and that consent can be verbal or written. This protects the client’s autonomy, ensures they understand what will be disclosed, to whom, and for what purpose, and sets the boundaries of what information can be shared. In practice, you should seek this agreement before any disclosure, with exceptions only where the law or policy allows sharing without consent (such as safety emergencies or mandated reporting).

Seeing it as optional isn’t accurate, since the default expectation is to have informed consent before sharing. Requiring written consent for all disclosures isn’t correct either, because many disclosures can be authorized verbally when appropriate. And only obtaining consent if the client requests it misses the proactive standard of informing and obtaining permission before sharing any information.