49 Pa. Code § 21.506 - Confidentiality-waived
To protect children from abuse, the reporting requirements of §§ 25.502-25.504 (relating to suspected child abuse-mandated reporting requirements; photographs, medical tests and X-rays of child subject to report; and suspected death as a result of child abuse-mandated reporting requirement) take precedence over provisions of any client confidentiality, ethical principle or professional standard that might otherwise apply. In accordance with 23 Pa.C.S. § 6311.1 (relating to privileged communications), privileged communications between a mandated reporter and a patient does not apply to a situation involving child abuse and does not relieve the mandated reporter of the duty to make a report of suspected child abuse. Additionally, under 23 Pa.C.S. § 6313(e) (relating to reporting procedure), notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, a mandated reporter who makes a report of suspected child abuse does not violate the Mental Health Procedures Act (50 P.S. §§ 7101- 7503), by releasing information necessary to complete the report.
Notes
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