(a) Licensees utilize business practices and provide services in a manner that safeguards the privacy and confidentiality of patients and clients.
(b) Licensees must inform their patients or clients about confidentiality and foreseeable limitations on confidentiality created by existing and reasonably foreseeable circumstances prior to the commencement of services as part of the informed consent process.
(c) Licensees keep patients and clients informed of all changes in circumstances affecting confidentiality as they arise.
(d) Licensees comply with Chapter 611 of the Texas Health and Safety Code and all other state and federal law applicable to patient or client confidentiality.
(e) Licensees disclose confidential information without the consent of a patient or client only in compliance with applicable state and federal law.
(f) Licensees who release confidential records relating to a patient or client that also contain confidential information relating to a second patient or client that the licensee obtained through the provision of services to that second individual, and who lack consent or other legal authority to disclose the second individual's identity or records, must remove all identifying and confidential information relating to the second individual before releasing the records.
(g) Licensees may share information for consultation purposes without a consent only to the extent necessary to achieve the purposes of the consultation. Licenses shall exclude information that could lead to the identification of the patient or client.
(h) Licensees shall not require a patient or client to waive a legal right to confidentiality as a condition of providing services.
(i) Licensees include in written and oral reports and consultations, only information germane to the purpose for which the communication is made.

Source Note: The provisions of this §465.12 adopted to be effective October 7, 2020, 45 TexReg 7013