Confidentiality

I have confidentiality agreements in force with the two treatment programs I participated in. My only restriction is that I cannot identify other individuals that I was in treatment with. If I did so, it would be a civil issue rather than a criminal issue. I do not have patient-client privilege with other participants although it is somewhat an untested idea.

I am free to reveal whatever I want outside of other participant's identities. On their side, they cannot release any details of my treatment. There is a small exception clause that allows purely statistical data to be drawn from my case files by researchers who pass certain qualifications (Ph.D., tenured at a major university, intended for publication in a peer-reviewed journal).

The danger is FOIA (Freedom of Information Acts) which make public many details of a person's involvement with the government. Mine is recorded with the court that any such request by anyone but me (and verified as me) is turned down for FOIA requests of my case files. I've tried it to make sure.

Kevin