Which law or doctrine governs mandated reporting and Tarasoff duties in social practice?

• A. HIPAA
• B. Tarasoff
• C. FERPA
• D. ADA

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is the duty professionals have to protect potential victims when a client shows credible danger. The Tarasoff ruling established that mental health professionals have a duty to warn or protect a victim when a client expresses a credible intent to harm someone. In social work practice, this doctrine provides the legal and ethical basis for taking steps to prevent harm, which can include disclosing information or taking protective actions in appropriate circumstances. HIPAA deals with privacy of health information, FERPA covers student education records, and the ADA addresses rights and accommodations for people with disabilities. None of these establish the specific duty to warn or to take protective action in the same way Tarasoff does. So, the doctrine that governs these duties is Tarasoff.