Case Study
Patient Demographic: Client Age: 45 Sex: Male Gender: Male Sexuality: Heterosexual Ethnicity: Caucasian Relationship Status: Divorced, single Counseling Setting: Private practice Type of Counseling: Individual counseling Presenting Problem: The client is experiencing difficulty in functioning in all areas of his life due to inhalant use. Diagnosis: Inhalant use disorder, severe (F18.20)
Mental Status Exam: Mental Status Exam: The client is oriented to person, place, time, and situation. The client does not appear to be under the influence of inhalants because he does not display any symptoms of use. The client is friendly and engaged in the ses
Presenting Problem: You are a licensed counselor working in a private practice. You specialize in substance use disorders. The client comes into the session, is very friendly, and states that although his sessions are court ordered, he wants to get help with his inhalant use. The client spent the first half of the session explaining what happened to lead to him getting his third charge of driving under the influence of inhalants. The client says that he had twin sons 13 years ago and they both were in the ICU; one of his sons died after about a month. The client began drinking alcohol to excess daily for about 6 months, which then transitioned to inhalant use. The client says that he uses contact cement, model glue, paint, and permanent markers to become intoxicated. The client identified the following symptoms of inhalant use disorder: increase in frequency and amount of use over the past 5 years, several failed attempts at cessation of inhalant use, craving inhalants throughout every day, losing several jobs because of his inability to get to work on time due to inhalant use, use that has affected his ability to have visits with his children and maintain employment, use that increases the risk of harm to himself and others such as driving under the influence, increased tolerance, and continued use even when he knows it is negatively affecting his life. The client wants to become sober, improve his relationship with his children, and maintain employment.
Other Contexts: You meet with the client after he requested an emergency appointment. The client says that he had a supervised visit with his children and he had used inhalants prior to the visit because he was anxious. The supervisor noted the intoxication and ended the visit early. The client says that this was 3 days ago and that he has used inhalants several times daily since the visitation. Due to his intoxication at the visit, all future visits have been canceled until the next hearing in court regarding visitations. The client says that he has been very depressed and that is why he is using inhalants. During the session, the client asks if he can go to the lobby to get water and you tell him that this is fine. The client returns, sits down, and appears listless because he is not displaying any emotion and has a very flat affect. You suspect that he is now intoxicated.  The client’s probation officer requests session progress notes from the time with your client due to it being court-ordered therapy

Question: The client’s probation officer requests session progress notes from the time with your client due to it being court-ordered therapy. Which one of the following statements is true regarding court-ordered therapy?
(A): You must request a release of information form from your client prior to releasing documentation.
(B): You must provide the requested documentation because this is court-ordered therapy and you are working under the discretion of the court in this situation.
(C): The client does not retain any rights in court-ordered counseling.
(D): Although the client does not retain rights, you try to receive informed consent anyway in order to retain the therapeutic relationship with the client.

Correct Answer: You must request a release of information form from your client prior to releasing documentation.
Explanation: The client does retain rights in court-ordered therapy, and you must get a release of information to provide the probation officer with the requested notes if a subpoena is not provided. Even when a client, including a minor, does not retain rights, it is important to get the client’s consent to services in order to preserve trust in the counseling relationship. Therefore, the correct answer is (C)
Competency: professional practice and ethics